For you as an actor choosing a part, what did you find in the script for The Ugly Truth that resonated with you?
It was almost instant. From the second Mike explodes on the screen doing his show, literally every second word had me laughing. I knew I wanted to do this. As the movie goes on and you get a more layered insight into this character, you realise that he is outrageous and hilarious. He is edgy but a good guy with a good soul at the end of the day. I have never really played a guy like this before.

How easy was it to step into this man’s shoes? Do you share any characteristics with him?
I do definitely. Mike is a big personality that says some risky things and that is part of me. That is a Scottish thing. A Scotsman in America is always saying things that make people stop and have them take a second look (laughs). So I always try and find parts of the character that are inside me and then the parts I have to make up.

So what parts are you?
He has a lot of energy and some charm about him. He also has some pro-active philosophies about relationships and sex.

Were any of those new to you?
To be honest, when guys hear all of this, they will admit that they have had those thoughts. They don’t live by those principles. Many are outrageous and they are pushing the boundaries to new levels of outrageousness. I have to be careful when I answer these questions because this could all come back and kill me (laughs). People will say, “How dare that b*****d say that?” (laughs)

Maybe he feels this way because his heart was once broken. Can you empathise?
That is what is interesting about him. At the end of the day, he carries a lot of baggage. When you understand that, you can appreciate more where he is coming from and gives you some empathy towards him. I think there is some of me in there. Look, every man has a bit of sexist and chauvinist in him if he is being honest. That is what this movie is about. We think that way some of the time but not all the time.

Do you have any problems with women?
My problem with women is I love them all, really. If I see a woman who is sweet and innocent, I fall in love with her, I want to hug her and take care of her and all that lovely stuff. Then I see this sex-kitten type walking past me and I think, ‘Wow! That’s my woman!’ I appreciate women for all sorts of reasons and it can get complicated.

Men are visual creatures first. So what is the first thing you notice about a woman?
We cannot deny that men are visual creatures. Look, half the time you don’t get the chance to actually talk to a woman because you only pass her on the street or see her in the car so you don’t get to know her personality. You will check out her eyes and go from there. That would be one thing. I do love the fact that they will laugh at everything we say (laughs). Most of the time I am making jokes and not being funny and so it is nice to be helped out by a woman. Men are turned on by sexy women though.

Katherine and you had some very colourful sexual dialogue. Do you ever have any inhibitions when you have to talk like that in front of a woman?
I speak like that. It is actually one of the reasons why I got this role. I was just working with the other producers on a film and I was always brooding. One night we go out for a meal and I am telling my c*** jokes and my sexist jokes and these guys are looking at each other and smiling. I wonder what the meeting is about and they tell me that they have a script they want me to read. When I read it, I knew it made perfect sense and what they were thinking when I was telling those jokes.

What does the term sexy mean to you?
I will see a woman in a really short skirt and wonder why she is doing that. It looks so stupid. Other times I will think what a nice pair of legs. It all depends on how a woman carries herself. At the end of the day, sexiness only lasts about three seconds. A woman to me can be sexy in so many different ways. Sometimes she is sexy just by the way she carries herself. Sometimes she is sexy by her opinions or the way her mind works. Sometimes she can surprise me by being so tender or just loving me. There are other times when it is none of those. I also appreciate it when a woman knows when to just shut up. After saying that, I think I better shut up as well (laughs).

So what is absolutely essential for a woman to have to get your attention?
She has to have a good sense of humour. I love spontaneity in a woman when she can just surprise you. I am real sucker for sweetness and a good heart. When they show me that, it just melts me and I want to hug them.