Actor Reeve was injured nine years ago

Reeve has had various acting roles since he was famously injured in a horse riding accident in 1995, most recently in the TV series Smallville - following the adventures of the young Superman, the comic book hero which made Reeve famous.

The actor took a major role in a TV remake of the Alfred Hitchcock film Rear Window and also directed another TV movie, The Brooke Ellison Story, earlier this year.

"It's something that I love to do," he said.

"I want to work. All the work that I do for the [Christopher Reeve Paralysis] Foundation is not paid - I don't take any money at all - so I need to balance the foundation work with my creative work as a director and producer."

'Optimism'

Since the accident he has been working to try and find a cure for paralysis, primarily through the work of his own foundation, which also provides grants to people with disabilities.

"Our mission is to identify and support the best scientists in the world, who are working on therapies and cures for paralysis for whatever the cause - not just spinal chord injury," Reeve explained.

Reeve made a guest appearance on Smallville

Last year Reeve visited Israel on a trip that "renewed my hope and optimism," meeting a formerly paralysed man who had learned to walk again.

But critics argue that he is in denial about the full extent of the damage caused by the accident.

Some believe that Reeve and his foundation offer false hope to others struggling to cope with disabilities, and that instead he should be inspiring these people to live with their handicap.

But Reeve was keen to tackle this charge.

"I think people should know that at our foundation we have a quality of life programme and we spend almost $4m a year to assist people living with disability," he pointed out.

"This includes recreation, jobs, training, assisted living centres and transportation."

Reeve himself has gained movement in a lot of places, having been told after the accident that he would never again have movement below his shoulders.

An operation last year now allows him to breathe unaided for hours at a time.

'Smooth sailing'

He recalled how, simply through rigorous exercise, he had gradually recovered various parts of his body.

"Suddenly, five years post-injury, I found I could move my left index finger," he said.

To a certain extent, paralysis is a choice Christopher Reeve

"So from then on, it has just been, 'the sky's the limit'."

He said that his daily routine includes exercise in the swimming pool, on the treadmill and on an exercise bike.

He also uses functional electrical stimulation, in which electrodes are placed on various muscle groups.

"To a certain extent, paralysis is a choice," he said.

"I'm literally paralysed, but there's a lot of people walking around who are paralysed by a lack of self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy. They don't dare to go for their dreams. They're depressed, feel very negative... it's all negative.

"But certainly, I have found a tremendous amount of freedom within my own mind and spirit, even though the body doesn't move."

And he insisted that he was not particularly special because of what he was doing, pointing out that he has "a lot of advantages."

"I can't hold a candle to the people who have to survive disability and incurable illnesses with no resources," he said.