Christian Bale Was Called a Terrible Actor Until He Became Famous With a Movie Leonardo DiCaprio Rejected
Christian Bale has become synonymous with versatility thanks to his penchant for going to terrible lengths to wear different personas of his characters.
From losing 62 pounds through a diet that predominantly included smoking for the role of Trevor Reznik in The Machinist to rocking a massive belly (that Amy Adams’ character Sydney Prosser really liked for some reason) in American Hustle, Bale has time and again shown his unwavering commitment toward portraying his characters to the tee.
He was even honored with an Oscar in 2010 for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Dickie Eklund in The Fighter. But Bale wasn’t always seen through the lens of respect by his colleagues and critics alike.
Read more: Even the Batman Christian Bale Got Nervous to Play One Role That Went to Marvel Star Josh Brolin
Why Christian Bale Was Considered a Terrible Actor by His Co-stars
Christian Bale‘s most popular work to date remains his portrayal of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. In fact, the wealthy investment banker, who keeps his psychopathic ego hidden from his friends and colleagues, has weirdly attracted a cult following on social media, finding himself in an array of memes these days.
Bale’s brilliant portrayal of a man roped in an uncontrollable bloodlust might’ve become a curious phenomenon that many try to unravel in different ways today, but at the time he was actually going through the process of bringing that personality in front of the camera, many, including his co-stars, were left puzzled with his antics.
Josh Lucas, who played the role of Craig McDermott in American Psycho, reunited with Bale on the sets of Ford v Ferrari in 2019 and confided to him just how unimpressed he and his other co-stars were with the actor’s work during the 2000 movie. Bale recalled Lucas’ words, stating:
“Josh Lucas and I did a film together recently and he opened my eyes to something that I had been unaware of. He informed me that all of the other actors thought that I was the worst actor they’d ever seen. He was telling me they kept looking at me and talking about me, saying, ‘Why did Mary fight for this guy? He’s terrible.’ And it wasn’t until he saw the film that he changed his mind. And I was in the dark completely about that critique.”
With a gross worldwide collection of $34 million, it’s hard to consider the thriller horror a box office success, but the cult following it attracted down the road proved to be a blessing for Bale.
Why Leonardo Dicaprio Rejected the Movie That Changed Christian Bale’s Career
Director Mary Harron’s backing was pivotal in providing Bale the freedom to go to extreme lengths to convey Bateman’s psyche.
However, the opportunity that presumably jumpstarted his career largely landed at his doors because of Leonardo DiCaprio.
It’s understood that DiCaprio was the studio’s preferred choice for the role. However, the Titanic superstar didn’t find much substance in the script and chose to pass it. “Eventually, I realized it didn’t amount to anything and didn’t mean anything in the end,” he said.
Moreover, Harron was adamant to work alongside Bale and was even briefly out of the project due to her insistence to give Bale the legendary rogue role. Let’s just say Bale repaid her trust tenfold.
Source: Cinema Blend
