Share
The master of transformations and one of the most talented actors of our time turns 52 today. We tell you where he started and how he achieved success.
Bale is one of those actors who began his career at a very young age. At the age of 8, he advertised laundry detergent and cereal, at 10 he appeared on stage with Rowan Atkinson, and at 12 he played Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, who was shot by the Bolsheviks. However, the turning point for his acting career was the film “Empire of the Sun”, released in 1987. Then there were roles in the historical drama “Henry V: The Battle of Agincourt” (1990), “Treasure Island” (1990), “Children of Swing” (1993), “Prince of Jutland” (1994), “Little Women” (1994). After three years of filming, Christian Bale got roles alongside A-list actors and actresses in Metroland (1997), All the Little Animals (1998), and The Velvet Underground (1998).
Advertising.
14-year-old Christian Bale in the movie “Empire of the Sun”
In 2000, Bale played one of the most challenging roles of his career, playing Wall Street banker by day and serial killer by night Patrick Bateman in the film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's novel American Psycho. His character is both terrifying and captivating. “I became obsessed with the film while preparing for it. I was completely consumed by talking about my body, about dieting and exercise. I also became more critical of other people's physical fitness.”
“American Psycho”
Preparing for the role, the actor challenged himself to achieve the Olympic physique that his character has in 4 months. To do this, he spent hours in the solarium and on the treadmill. He also installed dental crowns to fully match the image. The satirical thriller Mary Herron became the actor's benefit. It would seem that after this role, Christian Bale's career was supposed to take off rapidly. But the following roles – the action movie “Shaft” (2000), the war drama “Captain Corelli's Choice” (2001), the post-apocalyptic fantasy “The Power of Fire” (2002) – did not fully match his dramatic talent.
Bale took a break – and a year later he returned in the role of Trevor Resnick, a man suffering from insomnia and losing weight. With the main role in “The Machinist” (2004), the actor's legendary transformations began. Minus 38 kilograms – and an absolute record among all actors who have ever lost weight for their projects. Although the director asked Bale to lose a maximum of 10-15 kilograms. The daily diet consisted of a can of tuna and an apple. And to kill his appetite, he burned a lot. With a height of 183 centimeters, Christian Bale's weight was 53 kilograms.
“Engineer”
“For four months, I ate less and less, and in this way I reduced my stomach. I drank a lot of water so as not to feel hungry. And I disciplined myself. I broke down several times. But as I reduced, it became easier for me to stick to the “diet”. Of course, it wasn't very fun with me, but I radiated peace,” the actor says.
Immediately after “The Machinist”, Bale was offered the role of Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan's film “Batman: Begins” (2005). For these roles, in just a few months, he had to gain 27 kg before filming and another 18 during filming. Funny, but the actor overdid it a bit and could not fit into the Batman costume – he had to lose weight again. A year later, Bale played in Werner Herzog's “Breaking Dawn” (2006). In order to look like an exhausted prisoner in a prisoner of war camp, he lost 28 kg.
Three years later, Bale joins James Cameron's cult franchise Terminator: Salvation (2009) as John Connor. Now a soldier, he is one of those who can single-handedly save the world.
“Fighter”
Another year and Christian Bale would have to lose extreme weight again for his role as cocaine addict Dickie Eklund in the sports drama The Fighter (2009). The supporting role earned Bale an Oscar and marked a new stage in the actor's self-sacrifice for the role. “I ran for hours. All I did all day was run. I've never felt so healthy.”
The actor later returned to the role of Bruce Wayne in the final installment of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. For the role, the actor regained his ideal physical shape.
After that, he collaborated with David Russell again in “American Hustle” (2013). This is the first film in which the actor did not have to torture himself with diets and sports. To play Irwin Rosenfeld, Bale ate everything in a row, gained 30 extra pounds and grew a significant belly. The actor embodied the role of a talented con man with charming charisma. However, this time the transformation was for comedy, not drama. “I ate everything I could get my hands on. Donuts, burgers, chocolate bars. I swept up everything I saw in my path.”
“American-style scam”
For his role in the film “Power” (2018), Bale had to gain weight again. Christian played former US Vice President Dick Cheney. It is not known for certain how much he gained. After that, the actor vowed to suffer and abuse his body. He also added that his wife finds it very difficult to watch the constant changes in his appearance.
“Power”
“I've always liked transformations — mental, physical. Sometimes it helps a lot to look in the mirror and not see yourself there — in the sense that it allows you to remove yourself from any character. And I'm glad I did it, but I think it's worth leaving this approach in the past,” the actor said.
Text: Katya Romaniv