Tim Burton has always felt like a "foreigner" in the US.

The 65-year-old filmmaker was born and raised in America, but he now feels more comfortable in the UK, his adopted home.

He told The Independent: "Where I came from, I felt like a foreigner. Growing up, I always felt like a foreigner.

"When I went to London ... it was very strange. I felt it was foreign but I felt comfortable there. People were more eccentric. I don’t know, there was something about it."

Despite this, Tim admits that his character and his success have been shaped by his experiences in Burbank, California, the city of his birth.

The acclaimed director explained: "Those experiences, living there and growing up there, shaped who I am. When I talked negatively, it was only from one side of my psyche.

"The other side is that I am from there, and if I hadn’t been from Burbank, I don’t think I would have been who I am. It definitely is a part of me, even though I don’t live there any more.

"It’s like anything. Nothing is only positive in your life."

Tim - who has directed movies such as 'Beetlejuice' and 'Edward Scissorhand' during his career - also conceded that his journey in the movie business has been "very, very strange".

Asked how he's thrived in such a cutthroat environment, Tim replied: "Honestly, I don’t really know, because I am really not that good at talking or speaking or trying to sell something, so to speak. Looking back, it’s a very, very strange journey that I can’t quite explain."