AceShowbiz - British actor Jude Law has defended his playboy image, insisting women prefer men who are "bad boys". The "Alfie" star has enjoyed a series of relationships in the public eye, and hit the headlines after welcoming a lovechild with an American model in earlier 2009.

He was also photographed enjoying a post-Christmas holiday in Barbados with ex-girlfriend Sienna Miller, who he split from in 2006 after his affair with his children's nanny was exposed. Law admits he isn't very good at "being a good boy" because in the past he's failed to put effort into relationships.

He tells U.S. magazine Parade, "I think women like bad boys. That's been my experience. I just think it's kind of a given. You know, at a certain age you figure out what works for you and being a good boy never worked for me. And if you're a bad boy, they like it. But, eventually, you have to grow up and realize relationships are hard work. It's like cultivating anything. They need attention."

And Law insists it is a struggle to correct errors in his private life under the intense scrutiny from the media: "People seem more interested in setting someone up as this bad person, and that disheartens me a little. We all mess up, but we're equally capable of making it better, of healing wounds."

"It's just a matter of keeping your head on straight. There's a downside to every life. There's a downside to every career. And the downside to my career is the attention I get for what I do. But you learn to deal with it. It's like a fly buzzing around your head. You just have to learn to ignore the fly."