United Kingdom, June 3 -- Rupert Everett's is "almost crippled" after his pursuit of a Hollywood leading-man physique.

The actor, writer and director, 67, made the comments while opening up about the long-term physical consequence he has faced after years spent building the muscular image that helped define his brief period as a major film heartthrob.

On an interview with The Guardian, during which Rupert reflected on fame, ageing and the pressures of appearance during the height of his career in the 1990s, he said about chasing the perfect body: "I ruined myself. Now I'm almost crippled as a result."

Rupert added: "I could never be bothered to do all those things, like stretching, which were necessary for lifting weights, because your...