Why Is Gerard Butler Cultivating A Jerk Personality?

It looks like Gerard Butler might have overly embraced his role in “The Ugly Truth” as a brash womanizer. Instead of denying rumors that he’s had affairs with his co-stars, he’s gladly fanning them! In an interview, Butler said:

“That’s how I live my life. Conan asked me about [Jennifer] Aniston, who is my co-star in the movie I’m making now, and I just said, ‘Yeah, we’re getting married. What the hell.’ Tell a joke, that’s my technique. But, I’m careful to also say that I’m marrying Cameron Diaz and maybe Joan Rivers. I like to tell everyone I’m going to be a busy guy.”

Smart move or is he playing up the bad boy routine a bit too much?

When Butler was asked about a rumored relationship with Katherine Heigl, he said, “Oh, just because we went back to our trailer and made out after the dancing scene? Truthfully, one time I was supposed to play with Katherine’s hair and I kept forgetting my lines. I was so nervous that I grabbed her breast. Afterward, all I could do is say ‘I’m sorry.’” He figured if he denied the rumors people would say, “The lady doth protest too much,” so his method, as he describes it, is, “To embrace the rumor. Take it all the way just to kind of show how ridiculous the whole thing is.”

We get the insertion of comedy, but Gerard: Is it really a good plan to joke about groping the ladies when you’ve already got a womanizer rep? There’s going to be a long line of typecast roles in his future if he keeps cultivating this dick personality.

The Scottish actor also told Jay Leno that he likes to be called Gerry because he hates the way people, especially Americans, pronounce Gerard. He basically called American men pansies. “In Scotland I’m just like a lot of other guys,” he says. “But in America I’m seen as a very strong, masculine guy.” And that’s not all Butler has done to get a bad boy reputation. We won’t even get into his assault charge for punching a photographer.

This macho stuff is only weird because previously he was heralded as being one of the nicest celebs, known for spending lots of time with his fans and movie crews. Plus, during his first role, in “Mrs. Brown,” he saved a kid from a frickin’ river! Is it so bad being Mr. Nice Guy, or is this attitude replacement just the cost of fame?

[IMDB]
[US Weekly]