Weekly Movie Challenge

Christian Bale

Biography

Christian Charles Philip Bale is a Welsh-born English actor. In addition to starring roles in big budget Hollywood films, he has long been heavily involved in films produced by independent producers and art houses. Bale first caught the public eye when he was cast in the starring role of Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun at the age of 13, playing an English boy who is separated from his parents and subsequently finds himself lost in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. Since then, he has portrayed a wide range of characters. Bale is especially noted for his cult following: the tenth anniversary issue of Entertainment Weekly hailed him as one of the "Top 8 Most Powerful Cult Figures of the Past Decade", citing his cult status on the Internet. EW called Bale one of the "Most Creative People in Entertainment" in anticipation of the release American Psycho (2000). The Guardian named Bale as one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination.

Bale was born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales to parents of English descent. His father, David Bale, was an entrepreneur, commercial pilot, and talent manager and his mother, Jenny James, was a circus clown and performer. He is the youngest of four children. After leaving Wales in 1976, Bale spent his childhood in several countries, including England, Portugal and the United States. Settling for four years in Bournemouth and Henley-on-Thames, Bale was educated at Shiplake C of E Primary School, the independent Dolphin School in Berkshire, and at Bournemouth School. He participated actively in rugby union. Bale has described his childhood, with respect to his mother being in the circus, as "interesting". He recalled his first kiss was with an acrobat named Barta. As a child, he trained in ballet and guitar. His sister Louise's work in theatre also influenced his decision to become an actor. Bale's father was very supportive of his son's acting, resigning from his job as a commercial pilot to travel and manage Bale's burgeoning career. Bale's first foray into acting was a commercial for the fabric softener Lenor in 1982, when he was eight years old. He appeared in a Pac-Man cereal commercial playing a child rock star a year later and in 1984 made his stage debut in The Nerd, opposite Rowan Atkinson.

On 29 January, 2000, Bale married Sandra "Sibi" Blažić (born 1970), a one-time model, make-up artist and personal assistant to Winona Ryder; the couple have a daughter, Emmeline, who was born on 27 March 2005, in Santa Monica, California. Since 1992, Bale has resided in Los Angeles.

Actor

The Bride!

2025

as Frankenstein’s monster

The Pale Blue Eye

2022

as Augustus Landor

Amsterdam

2022

as Burt Berendsen

Thor: Love and Thunder

2022

as Gorr

Ford v Ferrari

2019

as Ken Miles

Vice

2018

as Dick Cheney

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle

2018

as Bagheera (voice)

Hostiles

2017

as Captain Joseph J. Blocker

The Promise

2016

as Chris Myers

The Big Short

2015

as Michael Burry

Knight of Cups

2015

as Rick

Exodus: Gods and Kings

2014

as Moses

American Hustle

2013

as Irving Rosenfeld

Out of the Furnace

2013

as Russell Baze

The Dark Knight Rises

2012

as Bruce Wayne / Batman

The Flowers of War

2011

as John Miller

The Fighter

2010

as Dicky Eklund

Public Enemies

2009

as Melvin Purvis

Terminator Salvation

2009

as John Connor

The Dark Knight

2008

as Bruce Wayne / Batman

I'm Not There

2007

as Jack / Pastor John

3:10 to Yuma

2007

as Dan Evans

The Prestige

2006

as Alfred Borden

Rescue Dawn

2006

as Dieter Dengler

The New World

2005

as John Rolfe

Harsh Times

2005

as Jim Luther Davis

Batman Begins

2005

as Bruce Wayne / Batman

Tankman Begins

2005

as Batman (archive footage)

The Machinist

2004

as Trevor Reznik

Laurel Canyon

2003

as Sam

Equilibrium

2002

as John Preston

Reign of Fire

2002

as Quinn Abercromby

Captain Corelli's Mandolin

2001

as Mandras

Shaft

2000

as Walter Wade, Jr.

American Psycho

2000

as Patrick Bateman

Mary, Mother of Jesus

1999

as Jesus of Nazareth

All the Little Animals

1999

as Bobby Platt

A Midsummer Night's Dream

1999

as Demetrius

Velvet Goldmine

1998

as Arthur Stuart

Metroland

1997

as Chris

The Secret Agent

1996

as Stevie

The Portrait of a Lady

1996

as Edward Rosier

Pocahontas

1995

as Thomas (voice)

Little Women

1994

as Laurie

Royal Deceit

1994

as Amled

Swing Kids

1993

as Thomas Berger

Newsies

1992

as Jack 'Cowboy' Kelly

A Murder of Quality

1991

as Tim Perkins

Blood Drips Heavily on Newsie Square

1991

as Self

Treasure Island

1990

as Jim Hawkins

Henry V

1989

as Robin the Luggage-Boy

Empire of the Sun

1987

as Jim

Mio in the Land of Faraway

1987

as Jum-Jum / Benke

Citizen Steve

1987

as Self - Actor

Best Of Enemies

as Gennady Vasilenko

Documentaries

Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer

2022

as Self

Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Thor: Love and Thunder

2022

as Self - Gorr

Catwoman: The Feline Femme Fatale

2021

as Self

Joker: Put on a Happy Face

2020

as Self

Ford v Ferrari: Bringing the Rivalry to Life

2020

as Self

Spielberg

2017

as Self - Segment "Empire of the Sun"

Keepers of the Covenant: Making 'Exodus: Gods and Kings'

2015

as Self

The Fire Rises: The Creation and Impact of The Dark Knight Trilogy

2013

as Self (archive footage)

Ending the Knight

2012

as Self

The Batmobile

2012

as Self

Michael Mann: Making 'Public Enemies'

2009

as Self

Heath Ledger: A Tribute

2009

as Self

Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of The Dark Knight

2008

as Self

Gotham Uncovered: Creation of a Scene

2008

as Self

Making of a True Story: Rescue Dawn

2007

as Self

The Director's Notebook: The Cinematic Sleight of Hand of Christopher Nolan

2007

as Self

Shaft: Still the Man

2000

as Self

Dying to Tell the Story

1998

as Narrator / Dan Eldon (uncredited) (voice)

The China Odyssey: Empire of the Sun

1987

as Self

Christian Bale

Actor

Videos

Documentaries

Production

Crew