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Last time UK viewers saw Luke Perry, he was a glamorous teen poster-boy. And now you're in OZ, one of the most brutal cable-shows in existence. The Bible Belt isn't going to like this, surely?

You know, I don't anticipate any flak. My guess, is there's not a whole lot of them watching. I think that full-frontal nudity in the opening credits puts them right off. Look, it's not a show for the weak-hearted, we say that right upfront. Anyone who watches an episode of Oz is going to feel violated in so many ways - on the surface those elements are very gruff, very brutal. But if you follow a season of the show and see the elaborate and well-thought-out history of each of those characters, it's all valid. Sure it's rough, but you know what, it ain't Sunday School. It's prison.

It's from HBO who gave us Sex And The City and The Sopranos. How come cable is so attractive to American actors?

You will find just as good actors, if not better, on cable shows becuase of the creative freedom that it allows. The networks are fighting for their lives.

Plus over here, it goes out on the same channel that shows Friends and West Wing...

Fuck, Rob Lowe is fantastic in that, isn't he? I have a lot of respect for him. And Martin Sheen - how great is that guy? I would rather he be President of the United States than any other guy. No question. When I first met him, it was at Charlie's wedding. And as a friend of Charlie's you kinda get a shady look from Martin. But as he came to know me, he realised I wasn't connected with.. well, those things. He's a great guy, and so is Charlie. The nut doesn't fall too far away from the tree.

With Beverly Hills 90210, you entered the showbiz fray with the highest possible profile. How scary was that?

What suprised me most was the scope, the size, the reach of television. Of fame. It's one thing to be famous in your own country, but to go all over the world and be recognised in every country you visit was something I was not at all prepared for. It was extremely scary, and it hasn't stopped.

Does celebrity scare you still?

It's just time-consuming. It doesn't scare me. I know what it's about and what it's not about. And all-told, it's a blessing. A lot of people strive for that - and then want to get rid of it as soon as they get it. There's a lot of people bitchin about it, but I feel like I've been very fortunate and I'm not going to complain.

We've seen a lot of US actors on the West End stage. Are you drawn to that?

Sure I am. I recently auditioned for a part in a Noel Coward play that Alan Cumming's directing, and they told me "You know what? You're American." And I said - well yes I am - there's not a whole lot I can do about that," and pointed out that nowhere in this play does it say that the characters are British. I'm actually going out tonight to see Jessica Lange in Long Day's Journey. I fell in love with her in 1976 in King Kong. I was in the 6th Grade. I had dreams about her. I was in love. I'll fly to wherever she's at to see her in a play.

You were voted biggest flirt at high school. Would you appeal against that decision?

I think the decision was rendered fairly and justly at the time [chuckles]. I was bored at high school, there were a lot of girls... it seemed like the best way to kill time.

So you're one of these guys who got into acting just to bang chicks?

I think I banged a lot more chicks before I got famous, actually. You lose your anonymity and you lose your edge. But it's always the same. Ask a musician why he learned to play guitar and he'll say "Chicks - they love it". It starts out like that - it does. But I learned early on - i thought, 'OK, I can get chicks. But there's got to be more to it than just that.'

Indeed there is. Cartoons, for example...

I love animation. I've always loved cartoons since I was a kid. The Simpsons episode I did had Elizabeth taylor, Steve Martin and Bette Midler in it. It was an amazing cast.

And you popped up in Johnny Bravo narrating "Luke Perry's Guide To Love". Is it important to be able to laugh at yourself?

Gotta have it. You know I recently met Burt Reynolds: the biggest movie star in the world during the 70s, and he has the most self-deprecating sense of humour ever. Never took himself too seriously. And it's true. You've gotta mock yourself. Before anyone else does it.

What have been your career highlights to date?

I hosted the World Music Awards once, and I shook hands with Stevie Wonder. I'll tell youu how it happened: I had a dressing room right by the stage and they put Stevie Wonder on the third floor. In a building with no elevators. So I told them, put Stevie Wonder in my room and I'll go to the 3rd floor. They said, "Are you sure?" I said "I can't believe you didn't think of it first, to be honest: he's a blind man - you want him to walk down three flights of stairs?!" So he said he wanted to meet me and say thank you, and you know what? I've met Presidents, I've met Kings... And I'm not that much of a spiritual person, but when I shook hands with Stevie Wonder, I swear I was touching his soul. There was just love coming out of that man - it was crazy. It was great.

We have to talk pigs. As in Vietnamese pot bellied ones. You own three. What's that about?

Used to own four. I love em. I love elephants too.

Kinda hard to keep around the house.

I'm working on it. But the pigs are just the sweetest things - I can sit and watch them all day.

And finally, you're on record as hating interviews. Are we doing OK here?

I've never been quoted accurately, and it's pretty frustrating. I mean, I don't want to be hostile: you're a nice gentleman, you ask intelligent questions and you wait for the answer. it makes the process with you a failry painless one. For all I know though, you're going to go back and say "He was an asshole". [Interviewer's note: He wasn't]

Links:

• Oz
• Arena - http://www.emapmagazines.co.uk/