There are a bunch of actors that, although they are young, seem like they have been around on the big screen forever. One of these is Christian Bale. He started off at the age of 13 starring in Steven Spielberg's 1987 film 'Empire of the Sun'. Now, in his mid forties, the Welshman has been in a wide range of critically acclaimed films. His appearances in productions such as 'American Psycho' and even the modern adaptations of 'Batman' have made him one of the most in demand actors that the industry has to offer.
An actor of Bale's standards and talent needs at least a small tribute, so we have decided to show our appreciation to the actor by providing you with 7 cool facts about the man who brought Patrick Bateman and Bruce Wayne to life.
1 Early start
Christian Bale started his career in front of the camera from a very young age. His first appearance was on a Pac-Man cereals advert at the mere age of 9, in 1983. In 1986 he appeared in 'Anastasia: The Myster of Anna' and in 1987 he appeared in 'Mio in the Land of Farawat'. His big screen breakthrough came at the age of 13 in 1987 when he managed to get a role in the film 'Empire of the Sun', directed by the one and only Steven Spielberg.
2 Bale in 'Titanic'?
A good actor always has to face rejecting roles in their career simply because of the high demand for their services, however also the best interests of the film sometimes come first and this is what happened in this case. Bale was very close to landing the role of Jack Dawson in 'Titanic', but director James Cameron didn't want two British lead actors playing the two leads who were both supposed to be American.
3 Gamer
The Welshman is an avid fan of video games and would often spend hours of his free time in front of the television playing games. In an interview a couple of years back, Bale explained "I used to video games in my entire growing-up years. One of my favorites is Super Mario. I wouldn't sleep until I finished the game, you know."
4 Tight fit
Bales first Batsuit wasn't the most comfortable for the actor. In fact, the costume was so tight that he nearly had a nervous breakdown and refused to wear it until something changed. After speaking to the director, Christopher Nolan, the costume designers got to work and adjusted all 110 parts that made up the costume. The result was a perfectly fitted Batsuit so Bale could go and roam round the city of Gotham comfortably.
5 Pure dedication
One thing that everyone knows about Bale is that he takes his job very seriously and immerses himself fully into his roles. One of his biggest challenges in his career was playing the role of Trevor Reznik in 'The Machinist'. For this, the actor had to lose around 5 stone. To do this, Bale ate salads and apples, constantly chewed on gum and smoked cigarettes.
6 Family full of artists
It seems like the the artistic talent runs in the Bale family as other members of his family have dedicated their profession to numerous forms of art and entertainment. His mother used to be a circus dancer, his uncle (Rex Bale) was an actor, and his grandfather a stand-up comic and children's entertainer.
7 Charitable man
When behind the camera, Bale dedicates a lot of his time to help those in need. The successful actor has links with charity organisations such as Ark Trust, Greenpeace, World Wildlife Foundation, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Redwings Sanctuary and Happy Child Mission.