Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

[Book] Christian Bale probably hates you (and Leo too!)

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by TdashDUB, Dec 29, 2012.

Tags:

Page 1 of 4

TdashDUB Contributing Member

Joined:

Oct 10, 2007

Messages:

1,759

Likes Received:

365

Bale's ex-publicist released a tell-all book about the horrors of working with Sir Bale. Sort of falls into the category of "Why should I give a f--k" but I found the article below to be interesting.. The book dropped in May but I don't recall seeing anything on the subject here.

Summary of article:
"BATMAN star Christian Bale’s temper is so explosive his former publicist was treated for post-traumatic stress disorder after resigning, a new book claims.
The British actor has also distanced himself from family and friends — and has not spoken to his mother in more than four years, according to the sensational biography.

Written by the ex-publicist, it also accuses the Oscar-winner of being so mean he would reduce little girls who asked for his autograph to tears.
And it tells how Bale saw Leonardo DiCaprio as his nemesis after the Titanic star kept beating him to roles — and how he REJECTED becoming James Bond.

Harrison Cheung, who was by the 38-year-old actor’s side for a decade, writes: “Pity the fan who recognised Christian at a restaurant.
“He refused to sign autographs while he was seated. He would lecture little girls about being rude and intrusive until tears streamed down their faces and their parents tugged them away from our table.”

TLR part:

Bale — who will return as Batman in The Dark Knight Rises next month — had risen to fame aged just 14, when he starred in Steven Spielberg’s Empire Of The Sun.

His ambitious father David pushed him on, moving with him to Los Angeles along with Bale’s older sister Louise when he was 17, leaving their mum Jenny behind in Dorset.
Cheung says father and son shared a filthy, ramshackle seaside home, where Bale displayed a collection of animal foetuses in jars in his bedroom.
The pair also shared the same terrifying temper.
The ex-confidant writes: “They both over-reacted out of proportion to any perceived offence. Christian would seethe and hiss like some surly snake.
“Once at an Enterprise Rent A Car just a few blocks down from their Manhattan Beach house, Christian was so loudly lecturing the woman at the desk and he was so angry that she started trembling and pointed to the security camera overhead for protection.”

Despite his father’s hustling for fame, Bale suffered through a series of flops.
According to the book, Christian Bale — The Inside Story Of The Darkest Batman, the actor blamed one person for thwarting his career plans — DiCaprio. It says that the Titanic star seemed to beat him to prized roles each time.
Cheung writes: “DiCaprio. The name burned Christian like a branding iron.
“Over the years, Christian had lost This Boy’s Life and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape to DiCaprio.
“Christian had read for the part of Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet but was told that they had decided to cast an African American in the part instead.
“Christian too had gone up for the part of Jack Dawson in Titanic but was told that James Cameron didn’t want two British lead actors playing the two leads who were both supposed to be American.”

In 1999 the two would go to war again over the lead in American Psycho, the adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s dark novel about Wall Street serial killer and sexual sadist Patrick Bateman.
Bale became obsessed with being cast and began furiously lobbying director Mary Harron for the role.
But yet again DiCaprio showed up and became the favourite.
Second favourite for the role was fellow Brit Ewan McGregor. In desperation Bale called him and begged him not to take the part.
McGregor passed and eventually Bale was cast. In what was to become typical behaviour, he showed extraordinary commitment to playing Bateman, sculpting his body at the gym and perfecting his American, yuppie accent 24/7.

He would even call up friends and family and leave chilling messages in the voice of the disturbed character. One friend told the author: “It was really creepy. He would call up and go, ‘It’sssssssss Patrick’ as soon as you answered the phone in that perfect American accent.”
Not long after American Psycho, he sat down for a meeting with Barbara Broccoli, the legendary James Bond producer, who was looking for a new 007 to replace Pierce Brosnan when his contract came to an end.
According to Cheung, she hinted that the role was his for the taking but Bale turned her down, telling her: “I’ve already played a serial killer.”
The book, which is just out in America and is released in the UK later this year, says as Bale’s success grew, his moods darkened even more. Cheung writes that in March 2002, his mother Jenny — who had divorced his dad — brought his grandmother over to Los Angeles for her first trip abroad and he would not see them.

Canadian PR man Cheung had to deal with the fallout when he went to Bale’s sister Louise’s home in the same city.
He recalls: “I arrived at Louise’s house when Jenny was crying on the phone, asking Christian to see them — if not for her sake then for his grandmother’s first visit to the US. He refused.”
Even marriage to the model Sibi Blazic and the birth of daughter Emmeline in 2005 did not lift his moods. According to the book, he would sit at home staring at the four walls all day. The publicist eventually decided to quit. He writes: “It only took me five years of therapy to get past my Bale years.
“My therapist would describe my condition as post traumatic stress disorder.”
As it turned out, Cheung had left BEFORE Bale’s temper reached fever pitch in the wake of the 2007 role that finally took him into the A-list, as Batman in The Dark Knight.

He starred opposite Heath Ledger as the Joker, who died of an overdose of prescription pills in January 2008 just before the movie’s release.
Bale did not attend the funeral. But last week he was seen crying when a montage of the tragic Aussie’s work was shown at the MTV Awards. His castmate’s death kicked off a horror year for Bale. Just months after Ledger died Bale was recorded in a foul-mouthed rant at a member of crew on the set of Terminator Salvation.
That same year he was arrested for an alleged attack on his mother and another, older, sister Sharon in a London hotel room — but was never charged.
Cheung says that Bale has not spoken to his mother since the arrest, despite numerous attempts by her to reconcile with him.

He had lost his father years before when he died of brain cancer at the age of 62 in 2003. The ex-pilot, who had dreamed of his son’s fame, missed seeing his biggest roles — including his part in The Fighter, for which he won the Best Supporting Actor award at last year’s Oscars.
Former sidekick Cheung writes: “Christian is one of the most secretive and talented stars in Hollywood with a reputation for an incredibly volatile temper and numerous eccentricities.”
But Bale has never cared what people think of him.
He once declared: “It is my trajectory to become possibly the most hated actor of the year.”

Christian Bale: The Inside Story Of The Darkest Batman, by Harrison Cheung and Nicola Pittam. Published by BenBella Books.
Click to expand...

Article: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...Leo-DiCaprio-says-new-book.html#ixzz2GPRYhjvr
Book: http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Bal...+Bale:+The+Inside+Story+Of+The+Darkest+Batman

#1 TdashDUB, Dec 29, 2012

apollo33 Member

Joined:

Feb 27, 2009

Messages:

20,387

Likes Received:

16,556

I really admire Bale's dedication to his job

#2 apollo33, Dec 29, 2012
CourtOfDreams Member

Joined:

Mar 8, 2011

Messages:

1,121

Likes Received:

325

Reminds me of, someone who goes balls deep in his craft, anyone seen "The Machinist" that was someone full on getting in a role. Greatest actor of our generation (born in the early to mid 80s)...not by a long shot.. Only one man has that..

#3 CourtOfDreams, Dec 29, 2012
redwhiteone Member

Joined:

Oct 30, 2008

Messages:

1,765

Likes Received:

59

Hmm...interesting. Someone may hit him in the face soon enough or lose his job if those statements are true.

#4 redwhiteone, Dec 29, 2012
CourtOfDreams Member

Joined:

Mar 8, 2011

Messages:

1,121

Likes Received:

325

wow.... the pics are too large... so much facial hair...... mods remove my hastily posted pics....

#5 CourtOfDreams, Dec 29, 2012
rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

Joined:

Jul 28, 2000

Messages:

21,655

Likes Received:

10,573

I know the author very well. He's been at our house for christmas parties and such. He's borderline crazy and he hates Bale like a jilted lover.

#6 rockbox, Dec 29, 2012
GRENDEL Contributing Member

Joined:

Nov 21, 2002

Messages:

17,187

Likes Received:

4,670

Doesn't really even matter to me, most of this stuff, relationships gossip as well doesn't affect my enjoyment of the actors work.

#7 GRENDEL, Dec 29, 2012

Dei Member

Joined:

Jul 4, 2006

Messages:

7,362

Likes Received:

335

Leo must be pretty happy about now somewhere. But Christian Bale absolutely nailed Patrick Bateman. I can't imagine Leo topping it. Though, now knowing this, I can't help but think it's because Bale's also maniacal.

#8 Dei, Dec 29, 2012
apollo33 Member

Joined:

Feb 27, 2009

Messages:

20,387

Likes Received:

16,556

Dei said: ↑

Leo must be pretty happy about now somewhere. But Christian Bale absolutely nailed Patrick Bateman. I can't imagine Leo topping it. Though, now knowing this, I can't help but think it's because Bale's also maniacal.
Click to expand...

I think Mcgregor would've done a good job too

#9 apollo33, Dec 29, 2012
Dei Member

Joined:

Jul 4, 2006

Messages:

7,362

Likes Received:

335

apollo33 said: ↑

I think Mcgregor would've done a good job too
Click to expand...

He had a phony baloney accent in Big Fish and Down with Love.

#10 Dei, Dec 29, 2012
Big MAK Member

Joined:

Nov 13, 2008

Messages:

4,305

Likes Received:

322

GRENDEL said: ↑

Doesn't really even matter to me, most of this stuff, relationships gossip as well doesn't affect my enjoyment of the actors work.
Click to expand...

I've never been a big fan of Bale, but I know what you mean. I enjoy Tom Cruise, even though the guy is a nut job.

The crazy ones make good acting.

#11 Big MAK, Dec 29, 2012
hotballa Contributing Member

Joined:

Dec 27, 2002

Messages:

12,516

Likes Received:

305

Wait wait wait, you mean to tell me that people who excel at completely pretending to be another person might be paychologically unstable????? Omg you dont say harrison.

#12 hotballa, Dec 29, 2012
Rocket River Member

Joined:

Oct 5, 1999

Messages:

61,728

Likes Received:

29,114

So . . . what ya saying it . . . If I every See him Seated in a Restuarant . . .
I should walk up and say.
"May I have you Autograph? . . . Mr. DiCaprio, I'm your biggest fan!!"

Rocket River

#13 Rocket River, Dec 29, 2012

Dairy Ashford Member

Joined:

May 20, 2002

Messages:

14,507

Likes Received:

1,833

Sounds like a couple of unemployable publicists cashing in on their last big client, and a guy with a stressful, high profile job. Most "stars" basically showcase their looks and project their real life persona on screen; working actors who actually have to adopt and project a completely separate identity with each script are not going to be as vapid and agreeable as we'd like. Really hard for me to read this and not like him that much more.

#14 Dairy Ashford, Dec 29, 2012
conquistador#11 Member

Joined:

Jun 30, 2006

Messages:

36,138

Likes Received:

22,659

isn't every artist one bad tantrum away from reaching insanity. all the good ones are this way.

#15 conquistador#11, Dec 29, 2012
Dairy Ashford Member

Joined:

May 20, 2002

Messages:

14,507

Likes Received:

1,833

CourtOfDreams said: ↑

Reminds me of, someone who goes balls deep in his craft, anyone seen "The Machinist" that was someone full on getting in a role. Greatest actor of our generation (born in the early to mid 80s)...not by a long shot.. Only one man has that..

Click to expand...

Hanks is a compellingly decent man who shrewdly leveraged his waning bankability into substantive roles that both aligned with his genuinely evolved personal values and simultaneously placated liberals and boomers. His acceptance speech for "Philadelphia" was staggering when I saw it in high school and I'd probably earnestly vote for him for President, but there are better actors than him.

#16 Dairy Ashford, Dec 29, 2012
Jontro Member

Joined:

Feb 3, 2010

Messages:

34,435

Likes Received:

22,194

Bale is the actor we need, not the actor we deserve.

#17 Jontro, Dec 29, 2012
Han Solo Member

Joined:

Jun 1, 2012

Messages:

2,820

Likes Received:

149

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jMvlV-6Spxg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

#18 Han Solo, Dec 29, 2012

Angkor Wat Member

Joined:

Jun 14, 2007

Messages:

13,148

Likes Received:

978

Anyone surprised that some celebrities are dicks? Neither am I.

#19 Angkor Wat, Dec 29, 2012
percicles Contributing Member

Joined:

Jun 11, 2002

Messages:

10,889

Likes Received:

2,928

Jonah Hill is reported to be a total douche.

For all the slack that Tom Cruise gets he's regarded as the most approachable and nicest celeb.

#20 percicles, Dec 29, 2012

(You must log in or sign up to post here.)

Page 1 of 4

Share This Page