Do NOT cross John Connor on set!

[The Mask]

bale was a huge name before batman, just not a household one. anyone with even a passing interest in anything outside of blockbusters had heard of him.

[Jeritron]

I'm counting the first Batman, not the Dark Knight. Before Batman he was a good actor, with some cult fans, but was NOT a star. He didn't get big roles, media attention, nor did many people know him by name.

After Batman Begins, the roles poured in. Half of those movies you named were post-Batman. So it's not just to me. I agree that he's a big star now, and has been for 3 or 4 years.
Not before Begins though.

[Jeritron]

I knew who he was beforehand obviously. What I'm saying is, this thread/story probably wouldn't exist back in 04. He was in small films. He was a familiar face, but not a big name.

[Requiem]

Pretty much what The Mask said. He was huge already, just not household like he is now.

Judging by the effort he put into The Machinist, I'd say he's pretty hardcore when it comes to focusing on his roles. That is why I am not shocked by this at all. It doesn't have much to do with how 'big' he is, so much as how dedicated he is.

And yeah, I am a huge Bale fan obviously.

[Jeritron]

I disagree that he was huge. He wasn't. Like I said, he hadn't been in anything that was a hit, nor was he a well know/marketable name. He was just as good of an actor, and he was certainly famous in the sense that he was a movie actor in cult favorites. Nothing he was in was a big hit, and he wasn't a marquee name.
He was not huge. He just wasn't.
He was a great actor in great movies, that weren't successful financially. Most of them weren't even wide releases. Like I said, the most exposure he probably had was the bad guy in Shaft, which was a flop.
You and me may consider American Psycho "big" because we like it. It wasn't big though. It was a small film with only a cult following, that didn't even arise until a few years after it was released and word spread.

He was recongizable as the kid from Newsies, but he had yet to get big. That happened with Batman. THEN the roles started coming in. Prestige and 310 to Yuma, and Rescue Dawn.
Which, were much bigger films than he had been in before, but still weren't big hits.
Just recently he's become Hollywood's "it" guy.

So what I'm saying isn't that he wasn't in good movies, or successful beforehand. He was. Just nowhere on the level that he has been recently. So what I was saying, is that perhaps that went to his head a bit. I don't know. Just an observation.

He made the comment "I'll leave this set unless you're fired if this happens again."
That's a threat. It's a threat because he's a huge star now and the movie's success will have much to do with his involvement. In the past, he didn't have that type of clout. He wasn't a huge box office draw, so that threat wouldn't have much weight. Especially since he wouldn't be in that type of movie.


I think we're just getting eachothers arguments mixed up. I have nothing against Bale's work pre-Batman. It was excellent. I just think it's a fact that he wasn't a huge actor until afterwards.
Sort of like Daniel Craig. Bond made him. Yea, he was around before that and he was well known across the pond but he wasn't in huge releases and showing up on fuckin Oprah and Late Night talk shows.

[Mr Regal]

Ah....brilliant i Mr Bale.

Nothing better than bawling some dippy cunt out.

[Requiem]

Gonna continue disagreeing here, Jeritron.

[McLegend]

Pre Batman Bale was box office poison.Great actor, but he wasn't a hit in theaters. Like there is no way Christian Bale is even consider for a Termintor movie if it wasn't for Batman. So Jeirton is right.

He's probably always been like this though. Success or not everyone always says how intense he is on set, and that right there was very intense.

[Fox]

Originally Posted by Class Act Carl McG needs to grow some balls. He's the director, he's in charge, he should have taken control right there and put Bale in his place.

You do not understand how the director/actor relationship works. If you, as the director, get on the opposing side of your actor, he will not work with you, he will not act for you. You keep them on your side, you DO NOT side with the opposition when the actor is having problems with someone else, whether it's crew, producers, other actors or even krafty. If you do that, you are ultimately destroying any trust the actor has with you.


Also, if it comes down to it, the director will fire the DP before he would allow Christian Bale to walk. Bottom line is this: people will go see Terminator: Salvation for Christian Bale - they are not going to go see it for a particular DP.

[G]

I wonder how "huge" he really is.

[Jeritron]

I'd like to hear one movie he was in pre-Batman that was "huge." I just highly disagree that he was huge unless I hear some real argument.

[Requiem]

You aren't getting what I am saying. Just because movies weren't blockbusters in theaters doesn't mean they weren't big outside of theaters. 'Cult Hits' usually have a much larger following than people give credit for. They're not so much Cult Hits, as they are out-of-box-office hits.

You're going on cash value, and I'm going on popularity.

Said it a couple times now, but I'll say it again. I don't think he is this way at all because of TDK. It doesn't have to do with how big of a star he is. That is just his way, I feel, because of how dedicated to his roles he is. If someone is that into a scene that they are trying to really feel the character and make something feel real.. and some guy is acting as a distraction by moving around off scene, then I would expect them to be pissed.

[CSL]

Originally Posted by Requiem You're going on cash value, and I'm going on popularity.

Pretty sure this is exactly the same thing in Hollywood

[Kalyx triaD]

None us of know if Bale was that serious on any past movies. For all we know he just couldn't fathom somebody being careless during filming of a fucking Terminator movie. He's earned his stripes, and professionals of his standard would eat alive anyone who's dicking around in whatever job it is. Bale just got recorded. Maybe he's colorful about it, but I understand where he's coming from just from a professional stand-point. It just so happens to fit the classic Hollywood-actor caricature of the hissy-fit whiny lead. But really, he's not talking about 'getting his morning coffee at exactly 6:35am' or some other pompous shit - they were doing a scene.

[PapaGeorgio]

I'm going to have to agree with Jeritron here and say he wasn't a big name before Batman. American Psycho, Shaft, Newsies, The Machinist and Equilibrium are the 5 movies that stand out for me. American Psycho and Equilibrium could be considered cult movies. People who were really into the idea of Matrix got into Equilibrium. American Psycho got some of the younger nerdy college type crowd too.

Requim discussed the idea of these being big Cult Films and I'd have to disagree. I have taken a class on cult films (not that that gives me like authority over all this), and I've felt some movies could outgrow their cult film status. A movie like Pulp Fiction is something I wouldn't classify as a Cult Film. For a while it was, but it then got to popular. Anyways, I don't think either of these films had that situation. American Psycho has probably picked up some good pace, only after Batman though.

His other movies include Shaft, Newsies and The Machinist. I love the Shaft movie I was in, only because it was so terrible. He didn't really have a huge stand out role for me. He played the villian but just seemed like another generic villian to me in that movie. And seeing how that movie was a huge bomb I doubt it made him that much more famous. But he probably did get his name out there a little bit. Newsies was newsies.

As for The Machinist, I doubt many people saw that, but I think this movie may have gotten a lot of PR out there for him. What he did for this movie was interesting, so it got reported on. However I still don't think it made him a huge star.

When Batman came out a lot of people weren't saying "I'm so excited Christian Bale is the new batman, I'm going to see it for him" At best they may have said "oh thats the guy who lost all that weight for the movie" or "i think I saw him in this one movie"

A lot of this is speculation on my part as I'm to lazy to go look at numbers as I got to go to work in ten minutes. But go and look at his imdb and I don't see anything that made him a big star http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000288/

[McLegend]

Originally Posted by Requiem .Said it a couple times now, but I'll say it again. I don't think he is this way at all because of TDK. It doesn't have to do with how big of a star he is. That is just his way, I feel, because of how dedicated to his roles he is. If someone is that into a scene that they are trying to really feel the character and make something feel real.. and some guy is acting as a distraction by moving around off scene, then I would expect them to be pissed.

You actually might be right about this. I get what you are saying, but you aren't understanding that if pre-Batman if Bale says "I'm walking off the set if so and so isn't fired." People are gonna be like "Who is this guy?"

Now that he's a big star people just might listen to him. Has Jeitron said he carriers more clout now.

[BigDaddyCool]

I bet it was Krispy Lettuse just fucking with Bale.

[Buzzkill]

lol why are so many people here desperately trying to defend christian bale?

he's obviously completely nuts and out of line, no matter what that guy did. Huge asshole

[BigDaddyCool]

I think while Bale was acting like a cock piece, the guy shouldn't have been trying to fuck with the lights during shooting.

[Blitz]

Now in the correct thread: From Ain't It Cool News

Why AICN Doesn't Post Links To Stories Like This Christian Bale thing that's everywhere! Hey folks, Harry here... I'm getting slammed with assloads of people angry at me for not posting the Bale explosion from the set of McG's TERMINATOR: SALVATION. Well, first off - there's a real simple reason. It isn't news. And it certainly isn't cool news. It is a moment in a man's life taken completely out of context and most likely leaked to personally embarrass Christian Bale. Now, I know what a lot of you are thinking... There's no excuse for a temper tantrum like that to ever occur and if you are going to act that way, you deserve to be embarrassed by your own actions. Except, you want to hear the REALITY behind that clip? I know this because I happen to be somewhere where someone that was there that day and for the shoot is. And this person isn't a publicist, nor are they invested in Bale's career. They're just someone that thinks it is absolute bullshit that this moment in Bale's life is being aired and that the real story should get out there. The DP on TERMINATOR SALVATION, Shane Hurlbut, is a apparently a light tweaker. He's a fairly young DP and likes to fiddle with his lights on set during action, which is a big "NO NO" on most productions unless worked out in advance with performers. But apparently Shane was a pretty unrepentant light tweaker. The scene in question, was a very emotional and tough scene between Christian Bale and Bryce Howard. A scene that required soul bearing and a deep level of immersive concentration. The sort of scene where everyone on set knows not to get in anyone's eye lines, and definitely not to move lights around while FILMING. You lock that shit down before the scene starts. Bale had indeed warned the DP on multiple occasions about messing with lights while the cameras were rolling, and Bale was in the midst of a painful scene with Bryce, what was described to me as being the emotional center of the film and his character for the film. Now, the reason I know all of this is because the person that was there, felt that it should be made perfectly clear that Christian Bale was the utmost gentleman and cool guy on set. And the DP really was doing something that professional DPs with experience just don't do. Not during a performance. You don't need me to give you a link, it's all over the internet, I just felt that you should know what really went down - and that this particular outburst did indeed modify the DP's behavior - and for future DPs. Fuck with the lights before and after your actors are acting. Not during. I stay out of the 'personal gossip' arena because frankly... can you imagine your personal shit aired for all to see. None of us are perfect, and certainly we have all sinned to some degree. Actors, Actresses, Celebrities and the people exploited on sites like TMZ. They're human beings that I personally feel are owed the same inalienable rights that the rest of us hold dear. Can you imagine cameras documenting your every attempted private moment. This moment was something that occurred in the heat of a moment on set between professionals. The audio is so clear on Christian, that it's obvious a mike was on him or a foot and a half above him. These are the sorts of moments that are private affairs. Yet somehow, because he's an actor. We feel it's permissable to air his dirty laundry. It isn't our business. It isn't anybody's fucking business. Will this affect TERMINATOR SALVATION? Will this give us insight into his character? Only because I found some details out, do we know it was in the midst of a scene between him and Bryce Howard. But that's accidental... and certainly hasn't been revealed by CNN or any other media, because they just run the clip with BEEPS. Is it funny? I suppose it may be. It allows regular people to laugh, point fingers and call someone other than themselves an ASSHOLE. But frankly, I find it disgusting. It's the exact thing that I made AICN to not be about. I wrote this, not to create an endless TALKBACK, but to express my opinion on the spreading of stories like this and making Christian look bad, when he isn't.

Dunno.

[G]

[Requiem]

^LOL

[Funky Fly]

I agree with post 60, but ROFL at post 61

[Skippord]

I'm in love with Christian Bale

he is Jesus, he did nothing wrong

praise be to the lord Bale

[Skippord]

that song is incredible

[NeanderCarl]

All hail Christian Bale... Hollywood's Chris Benoit waiting to happen.

[NeanderCarl]

Even his name is Chris B.

[NeanderCarl]

And he's a big WWF supporter!

[NeanderCarl]

(Even if it is the pandas...)

[Kalyx triaD]

Alan Duke - LOS ANGELES, California (CNN)
Christian Bale wants everyone to make fun of him for his profanity-filled tirade against a crew member on the set of "Terminator: Salvation."

Christian Bale said he was "way out of order" with his tirade during "Terminator: Salvation" filming. "I deserve it completely," Bale told the hosts of a Los Angeles radio show Friday.

In a phone call to KROQ-FM's "Kevin and Bean" show, Bale apologized for the rant last July against Shane Hurlbut, the movie's director of photography, which was captured on a much-distributed audio recording.

"I was out of order beyond belief," Bale said. "I was way out of order. I acted like a punk. I regret that." Video Listen to the now-famous rant »

Bale said that although he has been able to laugh at the jokes, "it's been a miserable week for me."

"There is nobody that has heard that tape that is hit harder by it than me," he said. "I make no excuses for it. It is inexcusable."

Bale, who starred as Batman in last year's "The Dark Knight," takes on the role of John Connor in the upcoming "Terminator" sequel.

Bale's four-minute rant began when he saw Hurlbut checking a light on the set in a hangar at New Mexico's Kirtland Air Force Base. "Do you understand my mind is not in the scene if you're doing that?" Bale is heard saying, in one of the few sentences on the tape not involving profanity. Bale told Hurlbut they were "done professionally" and that Bale would not continue filming unless Hurlbut was fired.

With his apology, Bale offered "a little bit of context."

He said he "was trying to show a little of that 'in the blood' craziness" that put his character's mother, Sarah Connor, in an insane asylum. "And you know what? It went very wrong," Bale said. "I got annoyed and then what happened, I made it ugly and that was awful of me," he said. "I took it way too far and I completely mixed up fact and fiction. I'm half John Connor and half Christian there."

Bale said he and Hurlbut quickly put the incident behind them.

"I've not only talked with him, we have resolved this completely that very day," he said. "We kept working for a number of hours. Listen, when I'm saying I'm not coming back from that set if he's hired, you know what, it's hot air. I don't believe that. I have no intention of getting anybody fired."

Bale and Hurlbut worked together as recently as last month, he said. "Everything is resolved between us," he said. "There is no problem whatsoever."

Bale said there was no physical violence against Hurlbut, especially considering he's "an ex-friggin'-football player."

The actor insisted he does not have an oversized ego.

"Please, if anybody ever sees that I really am thinking that I'm better than anybody else, stick a fork in my backside, turn me over, I will be done. That is not me."

He said he has not yet adjusted to "this notion of being a movie star."

"I'm an actor and I don't quite know how to handle this movie star thing," he said.

Bale said he called KROQ-FM's morning show because they made him laugh with their jokes about him. "I also appreciate you making fun of it," he said. "I had it coming. Feel free to make fun of me at my expense. I deserve it completely."

The tape has become fodder for late night talk show hosts and morning DJs since it was put out on the Internet last month.

------------------------------------------------

And there you go. No press release apology, you gay-ass representative. Bale's a good man, I tell ya.

[RP]

Christain Bale makes great movies. I dont care how much of a dick he is. I dont hang out with him. I dont know him personally. But he makes great movies and i like great movies. So he's good in my book.

[Rammsteinmad]

Man what a dick. Like someone said on page one the guy get's paid millions to play dress-up, he should fucking calm down. Also great to see success hasn't gone to his head.

[Rammsteinmad]

BUUUUUT LMAO at that song!!!

[Kalyx triaD]

Originally Posted by Rammsteinmad Man what a dick. Like someone said on page one the guy get's paid millions to play dress-up, he should fucking calm down. Also great to see success hasn't gone to his head.

What he does is beyond playing dress up.

[G]

He got $38 million for Dark Knight.

[XL]

I came into this thread specifically to post that exact song. Good work.

As has been said, Bale is a method actor that goes to incredible lengths to get into character, for a DP to fuck about on set whilst a scene is being shot is just plain stupid.

Although I think he could have done with reigning it in a little. He went on for quite a while there.

[Fox]

His character is a military leader. He was in the zone.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by Rammsteinmad Man what a dick. Like someone said on page one the guy get's paid millions to play dress-up, he should fucking calm down. Also great to see success hasn't gone to his head.

This isn't targeted specifically towards you, so please don't get that idea, but what Christian Bale does is far beyond playing dress-ups. Acting requires some of the most research and skill of any profession out there. And if you then want to reduce it to the description of "dress-up," or whatever, you still have to consider that Christian Bale is one of the best at what he does, and that the supply and demand for his "dress-up" talents far exceed that of a lot of other products.

Bale seems to have blown up, but I wouldn't chalk that up to insanity or ego. Working on a set, with guidelines, during big emotional scenes, etc. It all wears you down. Plus, it is well known by now just how intense Bale's method style is. Put a bad day together with the character he was playing, and this DP's unprofessionalism, and it's not exactly unusual that Bale would have snapped like he did.

It seems that Bale and the guy are all cool, and that Bale has a good sense of humour about it. There are just so many factors here that to just tip it off to one is ridiculous.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Also, regardless of whether Christian Bale was a big star before Batman Begins, I'm fairly certain that he's going to turn into one of, if not the richest movie star of all-time now that he's done it.