Gerard Butler receives death threats

Los Angeles - Gerard Butler has been forced to hire bodyguards after receiving death threats over his latest movie Machine Gun Preacher.

The Scottish star plays a Christian Hells Angel biker who rescues Muslim orphans from war-torn Sudan in the film based on a real-life story but fanatics angered by the role forced Gerard, 41, to be accompanied by security at all times as he promoted the movie at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

A source told the Daily Record newspaper: "It is quite a controversial subject and some people are upset by the strong religious theme. We are treating this matter seriously."

Butler not impressed with bodyguard

However, Gerard was unimpressed with his personal bodyguard, claiming he didn't do enough to protect him from the paparazzi on his arrival in Canada.

He said:"When we arrived in Toronto, when we came out of the airport, we were attacked by this crowd of paparazzi, crowding in, yelling, flashbulbs popping. We had all our bags slung over us, we couldn't move, and he [the bodyguard] was just sort of standing there.

"Hello, I really could have used you then. Now, here in the room with one journalist, he's all ready to go."