Voight based 'Transformers' character on Rumsfeld

Actor Jon Voight was so captivated by Donald Rumsfeld's public image, he based his 'Transformers' character on the American politician.

The 68-year-old plays the US Defence Secretary in the action movie and admits he used Rumsfeld as inspiration for the role.

Voight insists he saw Rumsfeld as a "blue collar public servant" and drew upon his style of dress and mannerisms for his character, John Keller.

"(Rumsfeld) wasn't a very well dressed kinda guy," says Voight. "He had one suit that he always wore and you could see the influence of his wife in his choice of ties, so I made things a little bit ill-fitting, rough, not colourful.

"Something in his earnestness and the weight that he carried was eloquent to me."