Henry Cavill had the nickname ''Fatty Cavill'' as a kid.

The Hunky actor - who plays Superman in new superhero movie 'Man of Steel' - admits he had a constant battle with his weight as a child and was targeted by bullies because he was so overweight.

Henry said: ''I was overweight when I went to school. In fact, I was overweight when I left, just taller. Fatty Cavill was the nickname. And nobody wants to be Fatty Cavill.

''Yes, I was bullied. But I'm not going to sit here and say, 'Woe is me'... Kids are kids. Kids are mean.''

The 29 year old confessed he struggled to shake off the fat jibes after he left school, despite dating girls who were impressed with his new muscular physique.

He said: ''Yeah, it stuck with me for a while, actually. I was always conscious of my weight afterwards. I've had girlfriends in the past who have said, 'No, really, your weight's fine, you look great.' But I just didn't believe them.''

Henry claimed the real turning point for him was when he auditioned for a role in 'The Count of Monte Cristo' and producers told his mother that he would need to lose weight to win the role.

He explained to GQ magazine: ''I was like, 'If I'm overweight, why can't they tell me themselves.' I was really p****d off. But I managed to lose a stone and a half in a very short time.''