Henry Cavill hesitant to flirt in case he's 'called a rapist'

Henry Cavill attends 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' photocall. Photo / Getty

Henry Cavill has apologised for controversial comments he made about dating in the wake of the #MeToo movement in an interview with GQ Australia.

The Superman actor, 35, ignited a firestorm of criticism after saying he was hesitant to flirt with women for fear he may be 'called a rapist or something' according to DailyMail.

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G'day to those that are down under! Thought I might drop this here because its one of a few photos you might find, alongside some words from me and about me (yay and yay), in this month's GQ Australia! To those that are up over, despite having been to Australia a number of times, I have never had a, or indeed seen a, shrimp on a barbie (BBQ), go figure. Not sure it's even a thing. #GQAustralia #NoShrimpsOnTheBarbie @GQAustralia @BuzzWhiteStudio @LivHarding

A post shared by Henry Cavill (@henrycavill) on Jul 10, 2018 at 6:58am PDT

He said he believes in an old-fashioned manner of dating women, wanting to 'woo and chase them' to win their hearts but added worries behaviour such as this could be misconstrued in light of the movement shining a light on sexual abuse and harassment in the industry.

In a statement to the Press Association, the Mission Impossible actor said: 'Having seen the reaction to an article in particular about my feelings on dating and the #MeToo movement, I just wanted to apologize for any confusion and misunderstanding that this may have created.'

'Insensitivity was absolutely not my intention.'

'In light of this I would just like to clarify and confirm to all that I have always and will continue to hold women in the highest of regard, no matter the type of relationship whether it be friendship, professional, or a significant other.'

'Never would I intend to disrespect in any way, shape or form. This experience has taught me a valuable lesson as to the context and the nuance of editorial liberties.

'I look forward to clarifying my position in the future towards a subject that it so vitally important and in which I wholeheartedly support.'

Henry Cavill and his ex girlfriend, Lucy Cork, 2017 in Midhurst, England. Photo / Getty

Henry became a single man in February after splitting from his stuntwoman girlfriend Lucy Cork after less than a year together.

In his original interview, he said: 'There's something wonderful about a man chasing a woman. There's a traditional approach to that, which is nice. I think a woman should be wooed and chased, but maybe I'm old-fashioned for thinking that,' he told GQ Australia this month.