Christian Bale is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation.
It’s not just because of how eclectic his roles have been, which have ranged from superhero films (“Batman Begins”) to sci-fi (“Terminator Salvation”) to dramas (“The Fighter”) to comedies (“The Big Short”) to blockbusters (“Exodus: Gods And Kings”).
But audiences and critics alike have always been wowed by the physical transformation that he undertakes for his parts, too, from gaining weight for “American Hustle,” bulking up for Batman, or losing it for “The Machinist.”
Bale most recently piled on the pounds in order to play Dick Cheney in Adam McKay’s “Backseat,” which he told me last week will be a “crazy” untraditional biopic that will also have a different title come its release.
During our discussion I quizzed the Oscar winning actor about his approach to roles, asking him whether he now looks at his past or to the future when considering whether to take on a character.
“No, I’m really just looking at the right now,” Bale insisted. “I don’t want to think about whether it is going to be received well or not. I don’t want to look at past work and say, ‘Oh is that kind of a nice stepping stone.’ I don’t kind of consider a nice portfolio. I just look at the moment. Right there and then.”
Bale then summed up his approach to acting at this stage of his career, by declaring, “I guess most important is that I just don’t want to get boring.”
Considering his reputation, current standing in cinema, and Oscar success, Christian Bale has obviously managed to avoid this label.
Audiences can now see Bale in “Hostiles,” a western set in 1892 that revolves around Bale’s Army Captain escorting a dying Cheyenne war chief across the U.S.
“Hostiles” was recently released into New York, and will be extended across the country over the next few weeks.
