Butler loved being main attraction

Gerard Butler has confessed he loved having so many leading ladies vying for his attention in his new film Playing For Keeps.

The 43-year-old big screen heartthrob plays George Dryer, a former Scottish football star who turns up in small-town America to try to rebuild his relationship with his son Lewis and ex Stacie, played by Jessica Biel. After getting roped into teaching the local little league football team, he is targeted by attractive soccer mums played by Uma Thurman and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Gerard said: "He's been a big superstar, now he's coaching little league football and being chased by all these women, the bored housewives and the single mothers. There was a lot of factors in there that made it tasty to do it, plus we could get Uma Thurman and Catherine Zeta-Jones and Jessica Biel, a great cast that made it all worth it."

The Scottish hunk admitted it was hard to pick a favourite leading lady, but he loved his young co-star Noah Lomax, who played his son.

He said: "Listen, the great actresses, it was incredible to stand off against them, especially in such a funny atmosphere.

"But Jessica's the one I did my main scenes with and had a love story with and we got so much there, whether it was angst or pain or flirtation or regret or fun. It's the best performance I've ever seen her give.

"But my favourite, favourite was my son, little Noah."