The actor whose meteoric career started in as a school boy in the Welsh language soap Pobol y Cwm admits he is 'gutted' that the movie contains no love scenes between him and rising star Keira Knightley.

The opening date of his new film, in which he stars as Lancelot alongside Clive Owen, Ray Winstone and Knightley, has been brought forward from the end of 2004 to July.

But Gruffudd tells BBC Radio Cymru that his only regret was that there was no chance of any love scenes between him and Knightley.

"Unfortunately, as in the old legend, there isn't an affair between Lancelot and Guinevere, the relationship is between Arthur [played by Clive Owen] and Guinevere [played by Knightley]," says Gruffudd.

"I'm gutted about that."

Pirates of the Caribbean has shot Keira Knightly to stardom

Knightley, who first emerged in Bend it Like Beckham, became an international star during the filming of King Arthur in Ireland after the release of The Pirates of the Caribbean, in which she starred alongside Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom.

"There are no red hot scenes," says Gruffudd.

"I only have two or three scenes with her and our characters argue through most of the film."

As soon as filming for King Arthur finished in County Wicklow in Ireland, Gruffudd spent Christmas and New Year in Mexico with his long-term girlfriend, actress Alice Evans.

He has now returned to Los Angeles for filming of a TV series which could make him a household name in the USA.

Century City, a futuristic series about a company of LA lawyers, stars Viola Davies (City of Angels) and Hector Elizondo (Pretty Woman), could provide a stepping stone to even greater things for Gruffudd.

"I hope it does. As we all know from seeing the career of somebody like George Clooney. He was in ER for 8 years before moving into cinema films. Who knows?"