Currently best known for his recent roles as the comic book world’s caped crusader, Batman, Christian Bale has taken the film world by storm ever since he put on that mysterious black mask. Besides the fact he has been a paid actor since 1986, when he was only twelve years old, Bale has appeared in over 40 films and television shows, and produced over 30.
His first major role was playing a young, English boy trying to escape under Japanese occupation during WWII, in Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun (1987). My first time seeing Bale in a film was during his loveable and charming role as Jack, in Disney’s Newsies, one of my favorite films of all time. I’ve probably seen it over 100 times, literally, and every time I watch it I get excited to see Bale’s character light up the screen and the simple story of a group of newsboys trying to make a difference. At the time he was just a teenager but I soon feel in love with him and his natural charisma on screen. I later saw Empire of the Sun and put two and two together. I continued to watch him in titles such as, Little Women, Laurel Canyon, All the Little Animals, The Machinist, and American Psycho, another personal favorite. Bale displays his natural acting ability and versatility on screen by sometimes taking risky roles. He is not necessarily always in Blockbusters, but manages to play an array of characters and personality types. He is witty, captivating and has classically good looks. Despite his well-rounded nature, Bale doesn’t always play the lead role, and no matter what role he is playing, it never seems small because of the way he pulls the viewer into the film’s story, and his own personal story. He has a tendency to make you want to hear every word he says, and creates a feeling of importance even when he’s in the background. He is incredibly dedicated to his work as has done truly amazing things, sacrificing his image in order to play a role the best he can, such as losing a whopping 63 pounds for his role in The Machinist (getting down to about 120 lbs) and then skyrocketing to around 220 lbs right after for the lead in Batman Begins.
Although his role in American Psycho landed him some much deserved attention, audiences almost seemed to forget about him until he was decided on as the new face of Batman. He has been called the best Batman yet, and there are still more of the films to come. Finally, Batman and everything he does is more believable because of the casting of Bale. He is strong, cynical, charming, and overall captures the essence of Bruce Wayne’s complex character. He owns the screen along with the star cast and his presence makes you anxious and excited for the next film to be released. He is a truly talented actor and now a household name thanks to DC Comics. What sets him apart from other ‘movie stars’ such as Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp, is the fact that he has successfully carried on with a low-key lifestyle and modest celebrity profile. He isn’t all over the tabloids, avoids getting into trouble, and escapes being followed by paparazzi. He has not been sucked into the Hollywood ways of most celebrities, which is part of what makes him so relatable and likeable. He is an immensely talented actor, and no doubt a cultural phenomenon in the movie/acting world.
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