John Travolta, one of Hollywood's biggest leading men tells Eileen Condon why, for his latest role, he's swapped fab for flab.

We've seen him in some weird and wonderful guises - from cool 70s disco king to slobbish hitman, but John Travolta's latest big screen incarnation is a little hair-raising to say the least.

Donning a huge black wig, fat suit and killer heels, Hollywood's leading man is suddenly all woman in his new film Hairspray. He plays larger than life Edna Turnblad in the comedy and admits revealing his feminine side to the world came as a big shock.

"My first reaction when I saw myself in full make-up and costume was excitement and then I just didn't recognise myself at all," he said.

Once he got over the initial shock, the actor admits Edna grew on him.

He said: "I took a personal interest in how she looked. I said she has to be pleasant to look at - Elizabeth Taylor gone to flesh'."

"I said, Give me big breasts and a big butt. I want her to look like a woman'."

It seems John got the look spot-on as the surprised star admits he suddenly got inundated with male attention "I was so flirted with, so groped. I was like: Touch me. I don't care.'"

The film, which also stars Queen Latifah and Michelle Pfieffer, is a remake of the John Waters-directed cult classic.

The all-singing, all-dancing role meant John had to go back to his roots - three decades after wowing audiences with his impressive moves in Saturday Night Fever and Grease.

But despite turning 53 this year, the resilient star says he was eager to strut his stuff again.

He said: "I'm an old Broadway hoofer. I did 13 years of it - summer theatre, off-Broadway, Broadway.

"It's a lot of work but it's fun.

"I got approached to do the movie version of Chicago and this was the first musical film project which tempted me to return to the genre and now I have regrets I didn't do it.

"So the Hairspray team told me I wasn't getting away with it this time."

Despite his success, it's his role as devoted husband and father which takes priority.

Married to Australian actress Kelly Preston for 16 years and dad to 15-year-old Jett and Ella Bleu, seven, the Travolta union has so far proved to be one of the most stable in Hollywood.

"We believe strongly in communication and using this to solve problems," he said. "I try not to be apart from my family for too long. I have it written into my contract that I will be done every day by 6pm to have quality time with my kids."

Though Kelly has put her career on the backburner, she'll be joining her husband and their daughter Ella in Travolta's next project, a movie called Old Dogs, then the star says they want to try for a third child.

Hairspray (PG) is in cinemas now.

Read our review in the film section.