Michael Fassbender thinks the 'Twilight Saga' is like 'Jane Eyre'.

The 34-year-old actor believes the vampire series - which sees Bella Swan fall for a vampire named Edward Cullen - has similar themes of forbidden love to that of Charlotte Bronte's classic story and believes that is why both are a hit with female audiences.

Asked why he thinks brooding male characters are so popular, Michael - who stars as Mr. Rochester in a new 'Jane Eyre' movie adaptation - said: "When you're reading Jane Eyre he's like 'Sit down, sit down sit down.' These women seemed to enjoy the torture of the relationships but in this story there is the redemption at the end.

"I've said before, maybe I'm wrong, the films like the 'Twilight Saga' have the same sort of structure, like a love that can never exist, women seem to go crazy for these sorts of things."

Michael admits he didn't read the story of 'Jane Eyre' until fairly late in life, but his female relatives are big fans, so he is particularly pleased that they enjoyed his new film.

He said: "I didn't get round to reading 'Jane Eyre' in my teenage years at school. I first came to it in about 2004 but my mum and my sister had talked about it, they both loved the Bronte sisters and they saw the film and enjoyed it, they are very honest, which is always nice."

For the full interview go to www.handbag.com/celebrity/entertainment/movie/michael-fassbender-interview-080911