Wesley Snipes is coping "very well" with the prospect of being sent to jail.

The 'Blade' actor - who was sentenced to three years in prison for wilful failure to file federal income tax returns in April 2008 but remains free on bail to appeal the conviction - insists he is an "eternal optimist" who doesn't worry about what the future holds.

When asked how he will cope if he does go to prison, he said: "Very well. I have a great spiritual foundation, I am an eternal optimist, and I don't always buy into the illusions.

"I am in the illusion business, so I can decipher what's real and what's not real, and keep stable."

The 47-year-old actor also claimed some of the things that get written about him are "crazy", but he would rather not sue as it costs too much money.

He explained to Britain's FHM magazine: "The things they write about me in the press, events that never happened, it's crazy. But people believe it.

"It wastes too much money. I'd rather buy books."

When the actor was initially condemned by Judge William Terrell Hodges in April 2008, the actor blamed his failure to pay $2.8 million in unreturned tax bills from 1999 to 2001 on a lack of education.

He said: "I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance. I am well-intentioned, but miseducated".