The American actor Michael Keaton has paid tribute to his Catholic schooling, saying it shaped him as a person. The actor, best known for playing Batman in the 1990s and for his role in the acclaimed film Birdman, said he enjoyed being an altar boy, and that his school's tough discipline "kind of builds who you are". The 63-year-old, who grew up in Pennsylvania, told Prestige Hong Kong magazine that the school was "classic knuckle-rapping and stand in the corner and corporal punishment". He added: "I didn't come away scarred for life. It kind of builds who you are. I was an altar boy. I liked being an altar boy. Me and my buddies got to go and serve Mass and go to school. I didn't go to church all the time just 'cause I was an antsy kid. It was a good experience for me. It probably does shape who you are and what you believe in." Birdman, about an actor struggling to move on from his role as a superhero, was released in cinemas in Britain last week.