Ron Perlman's real life persona is very different compared to the more than 100 tough characters he's played

Ron Perlman might routinely play a tough guy on screen, but in real life the actor has a much softer side.

The 72-year-old star has a lengthy and impressive resume, with roles in Sons of Anarchy, Blade II, Hand of God and - of course - Hellboy.

But while he usually plays a hard-man on screen, outside of his work he’s a big-hearted family man with a love of rescue dogs. Awww.

Perlman has spoken previously about having a ‘low self image’ when he was kid, which he thinks may have attracted him to play roles where he plays unusual-looking characters, such as Vincent in the 1980s TV show Beauty and the Beast.

Speaking in 1988, he said: "It was not a bad childhood but I had a perception of myself that was... I was terribly overweight as a young kid, and it was sort of a low self image, which puts me in touch with the insecurity that comes with not being accepted during that very important time of life where physicality becomes all important.

Instagram/@perlmutations

“I think that I’ve always been attracted to roles where one is able to transcend those limitations and take their place in the universe.”

Not content with just playing Vincent, fast-forward a couple of decades and he played another grotesque figure when he appeared as the titular character in Hellboy.

When not piling on the prosthetics and special-effects make up in the name of cinema, Perlman is a family man and is very close to his two children - daughter Blake and son Brandon - he’s also a proud grandpa and regularly shares snaps of his family on Instagram.

Instagram/@perlmutations

And if Perlman cuddling up to a tiny baby isn’t enough to melt your heart - then how about his love of his dogs?

The actor has been fortunate enough to have shared his life with several furry pals - including a Jack Russell named Nigel who would accompany him on set and was given his own special tribute on his birthday each year. Sadly, last year, 17-year-old Nigel passed away.

Perlman recently revealed he had two rescue dogs ('and counting') of his own - and is firmly in the ‘adopt not shop’ camp - often urging his followers to support rescue foundation Joey & Bailey where he and wife Alison adopted their black lab Harrington and sharing posts of pets in need of homes.

So there you go - looks can be very deceiving, especially when you happen to be dressed up like Hellboy.