Tatum: 'I knew I could handle a rom-com'

Channing Tatum has revealed that he enjoyed playing a romantic leading man.

The actor told Parade that his role in Dear John made a change from his usual action movies.

"When you're growing up, you imagine yourself being an action hero who's running around shooting guns and jumping from buildings," he said. "I've done that, but I knew I could handle a movie about first love. In real life I have probably been as equally versed in romance as physical stuff."

Tatum added that he found his romantic scenes much easier to film than he expected.

"Actually, the love scenes were a lot easier than the surfing scenes," he joked. "Even if I did have to kiss Amanda Seyfried in a driving rain storm. I know how to be with someone and have a connection with them. That's fairly easy.

"But learning to surf is a lot harder. You're getting beat up by those waves. I was like, 'Don't we have stunt doubles for this?'"

However, Tatum, who married Jenna Dewan last year, also admitted that his love life hasn't always been so successful.

"I've been dumped by women more times than I really care to remember," he said.

Dear John is released in the US on February 5 and in the UK on May 7.