Slog
News & ArtsMonday, February 2, 2009
Film "You want me to fuckin' trash your lights?"
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 5:38 PM
I love Christian Bale's acting, and now I hate him a little bit, after listening to this tantrum he unleashed on a director of photography after he unwittingly wandered into the shot. What a dick!
It also makes me feel weird to know that actors call McG "McG" when they're on set. I always figured he had a first name he only told friends and co-workers.
(Via.)
UPDATE: Christian Bale photo changed to new "Hot-n-Spicy" version because Lindy West thought the previous photo from The Machinist was too gross.
4
this is kinda proof of how bad his temper is. And after he was accused of freaking out on his sister and mom
http://www.welt.de/english-news/article2…
I'm strangely comforted that nobody is perfect, ever. This one, though gorgeous, is really really mean.
http://www.welt.de/english-news/article2…
I'm strangely comforted that nobody is perfect, ever. This one, though gorgeous, is really really mean.
5
I can't square this kind of behavior with a guy that has been a vegetarian since he was a kid because he saw Charlottes web and had too much empathy to eat meat.
6
the most amazing part of this repurposed gawker story isn't that people call McG by his nickname (of course he has a "real name"), it's that Christian Bale can't keep his accent straight once the rage sets in.
7
he acts like a man with something to hide. perhaps mourning the death of the man who may have been his secret lover and co-star in a phenomenally successful movie? and maybe his down-low secret life was why he went off on his mother and sister? just supposin', folks, just supposin'.
10
I'm heartbroken. I've been infatuated with Bale since Newsies. I don't want to believe he's this big of a prick, although he did get arrested shortly before the Dark Knight was released for assault, a fact that a lot of us seemed to forget. (I know I did).
Shit. No more heroes.
Shit. No more heroes.
12
I wonder if he was just trying to get himself kicked off that godawful movie directed by fucking McG.
McG! I'd throw a tantrum too.
McG! I'd throw a tantrum too.
13
My Bale-loving friends are all arguing that the DP had it coming for wandering into the shot, and are speculating that this was probably the ninth or tenth time the guy did it in a single day. I'm so sure.
15
@12: Beat me to it. Anyone with an ounce of artistic integrity could easily be reduced to this by the hack McG.
Which begs the question: Why did Bale agree to be in this sure-to-suck piece of tripe?
Which begs the question: Why did Bale agree to be in this sure-to-suck piece of tripe?
17
I tried to post this comment at TMZ, but it seems to have been screened out. Not sure why.
Plenty of actors have joint issues and other health problems from losing and gaining weight too fast for roles. Bale has been known as a low key actor for over a decade, but he's flipped out more than once in the last year or so. I hope he's not in some pain med/steroid rage mess.
Suppose it's also possible he's an utter ass, but it seems like that would have gotten around before now. He's been working since Empire of the Sun, after all.
Plenty of actors have joint issues and other health problems from losing and gaining weight too fast for roles. Bale has been known as a low key actor for over a decade, but he's flipped out more than once in the last year or so. I hope he's not in some pain med/steroid rage mess.
Suppose it's also possible he's an utter ass, but it seems like that would have gotten around before now. He's been working since Empire of the Sun, after all.
18
Why would people make excuses for such spoiled, baby-ass behaviour? News flash: with a few exceptions, actors and rock stars tend to be egocentric pricks. They are only cool from a great, great distance.
20
Christopher Nolan has destroyed two great actors now... He pushed Bale on to roids after the Machinist to get him buff for Batman Begins and drove Heath Ledger over the edge with his ultra-serious Dark Knight movie.
It's just a comic book ...man
It's just a comic book ...man
21
sheesas peeps....he's an aqua. your sprised that he blew his top when someone f'd up his fucking concentration? really?
22
So many nice talented unemployed actors. Don't need to choose atrociously behaved egomaniac prima donnas like Bale for highly paid roles. He is so offputting and full-on that this behaviour will affect his popularity and movies in much the same way Tom Cruise's behaviour has affected him.
23
ok bale's a prick. but how on fucking earth are you the director of fucking photography for a major motion picture and then you don't notice someone shouting "ACTION" and you just wander onto the set like a senile person? seriously. c'mon, sure sure sure bale's a prick, but seriously. it's like going to the most expensive restaurant in town and then the chef comes out while you're eating and sticks his hand in your food and kind of mushes it around for a few minutes and then goes "oh sorry, i didn't notice you were EATING YOUR FOOD." who is this jackass DP?
24
it is not like anyone says fucking, fucked, fucker, fuckee, fuckor, fucky - and on down the list - on fucking Slog, posting as Stranger staff .. oh no ... all you guardians of prim and proper language
I bet the fucking fool who destroyed the take is a drifted away hot house prick who needed someone to call him on his shit for once ....
And then, there are the douche combos ... and the ass combos .... could shock a Puritan
And this is news ... ZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Love Tart Language
I bet the fucking fool who destroyed the take is a drifted away hot house prick who needed someone to call him on his shit for once ....
And then, there are the douche combos ... and the ass combos .... could shock a Puritan
And this is news ... ZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Love Tart Language
25
@23
If that were the case, I'd agree, but from my understanding, the DP just walked in Bale's line-of-sight, not into the scene.
It's like if you screamed at a waiter for not running into the kitchen and hiding while you ate.
If that were the case, I'd agree, but from my understanding, the DP just walked in Bale's line-of-sight, not into the scene.
It's like if you screamed at a waiter for not running into the kitchen and hiding while you ate.
27
@24 -- agreed. Rich post coming from Paul who can't seem to post anything without at least one FUCK somewhere in it.
The tirade reminds me of what Joan Crawford could have been like.
The tirade reminds me of what Joan Crawford could have been like.
30
@ 17: You may be closer than you think.
I have a lot of empathy for Mr. Bale, primarily because I'm one degree removed from him: my best friend from college's other best friend is (I should say was) Chris Bale. I've heard a lot of Teenage Chris stories.
On one hand, his behavior is inexcusable and unprofessional regardless of the DP's actions. On the other, he has a history of substance abuse, and I do believe that addiction is not a personal or spiritual weakness but a disease.
They haven't been close for a while -- as she says, he's "changed", and this behavior is in keeping with that change -- and I feel sorry for him, but pretty much everyone agrees that it's time for Christian Bale to grow the hell up.
They haven't been in touch the past few years because, yeah, he's letting himself turn into a jackass.
Fun fact (you'll like this, Paul): Chris Bale was originally in the running for Obi Wan in Star Wars I, but Lucas reconsidered because of Bale's drug use at the time. I remember my BFF commenting about how Bale was upset, but that it was kind of his fault for letting his addiction get as far as it did. I seem to remember that being around the time things started to really go downhill, according to her.
I have a lot of empathy for Mr. Bale, primarily because I'm one degree removed from him: my best friend from college's other best friend is (I should say was) Chris Bale. I've heard a lot of Teenage Chris stories.
On one hand, his behavior is inexcusable and unprofessional regardless of the DP's actions. On the other, he has a history of substance abuse, and I do believe that addiction is not a personal or spiritual weakness but a disease.
They haven't been close for a while -- as she says, he's "changed", and this behavior is in keeping with that change -- and I feel sorry for him, but pretty much everyone agrees that it's time for Christian Bale to grow the hell up.
They haven't been in touch the past few years because, yeah, he's letting himself turn into a jackass.
Fun fact (you'll like this, Paul): Chris Bale was originally in the running for Obi Wan in Star Wars I, but Lucas reconsidered because of Bale's drug use at the time. I remember my BFF commenting about how Bale was upset, but that it was kind of his fault for letting his addiction get as far as it did. I seem to remember that being around the time things started to really go downhill, according to her.
31
1)Dude obviously has some major anger management issues.
2)Is giving off a huge douche vibe.
3)Tendency to go between ultra indie films and big budget, pop corn crap is more irritating than admirable.
4)Really hasn't been likable or charming in films since he did Little Women, or going back even further, Empire of the Sun...
5)All this is mitigated, slightly, by a bitchin' body...
6)...and marred by an apparent aversion to moisturizer...there are some candid photos out there where the dude is disturbingly wrinkled for a man in the prime of life. Obviously, he's not gay...
2)Is giving off a huge douche vibe.
3)Tendency to go between ultra indie films and big budget, pop corn crap is more irritating than admirable.
4)Really hasn't been likable or charming in films since he did Little Women, or going back even further, Empire of the Sun...
5)All this is mitigated, slightly, by a bitchin' body...
6)...and marred by an apparent aversion to moisturizer...there are some candid photos out there where the dude is disturbingly wrinkled for a man in the prime of life. Obviously, he's not gay...
32
As somebody who also considers myself a fan, I'd like to hope that he'll wise up quickly and start down the the path that Sean Penn did -- mellow out and just keep making great movies. Otherwise, he might slide onto the B-list, and then finally come roaring back with that one movie in his fifties -- a la Mickey Rourke in the Wrestler. It's your choice, Christian.
33
I'm with Bale on this one. He's working at the top of the industry, at the peak of his art, and some schlomo comes waddling in to his space while he's trying to work. Bale's always been a bit of a completist (much like Daniel Day Lewis) and I can totally understand that the level of concentration needed to maintain his character could be shattered by some slob scratching his ass as he takes down a light during a scene.
The chef example above was great. I'd freak out on that guy in much the same way, and unless you're a passive hippie asswipe, you probably would too.
The chef example above was great. I'd freak out on that guy in much the same way, and unless you're a passive hippie asswipe, you probably would too.
34
@6 - that was the first thing I noticed, too. He clearly has some Americanism at first, but his accent shifts to almost completely American the more angry he gets.
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