X-Men star Bruce Davison didn't kiss a girl for 15 years after rat kiss in cult horror Willard

Davison, who played antagonist Senator Robert Kelly in the 'X-Men' franchise, also noted how Marvel films became a big deal after 'X-Men'.

He told Closer US magazine: "Well, for 15 years after I kissed that rat I never kissed another girl! [Laughs] But people still remember it. It started a whole series of great critter films. You know, I find myself at the beginning of a lot of eras. The same thing happened with 'X-Men'. After that film, suddenly there were all these Marvel films."

The 'Longtime Companion' star - who has been married three times and has two children - admits there have been "many ups and downs" during his career spanning more than five decades.

Asked what the secret to his longevity is, he said: "I have to say just surviving it. I've gone through so many ups and downs in the business. I've learned to accept it as a river.

"It's always going to be there and you've got to jump in. Sometimes you can swim and other times the boat goes down."

Davison's parents were not keen on the idea of him becoming an actor and he wanted to do art at first.

Asked if they were supportive of his acting career, he said: "Not at first, no. First of all, I wanted to be an artist and go to art school. They said, 'No, you don't know who you are yet. Go to Penn State and take liberal arts.' I fell in love with theatre there. I found my crowd, my people."

However, he's since gone back to art school and will be quite happy to paint for the rest of his life.

Asked what's left on his bucket list, he replied: "Painting. I started college as an art major but never got far. Henry Fonda was very instructive in getting me started again.

He said, 'It's not about the results, it's about the journey. You'll never be Rembrandt, but you can still enjoy doing it.' So during COVID, that's what I went back to."