Manic Inspiration: The actor Christian Bale called “real fascinating”
It’s safe to say Christian Bale has always had the acting bug. He starred in Steven Spielberg’s war film Empire of the Sun as a young boy and later had his big break as an adult in American Psycho. Watching his manic performance as Patrick Bateman, one might think Bale would be a perfect fit for the Joker, but director Christopher Nolan had other plans—casting him as Batman instead.
Bale’s portrayal of Batman certainly showcased his wide range as an actor, as he abandoned the erratic energy of earlier roles to become a refined hero in what would be a career-defining performance. He left the mania to his Gotham foes—one of whom was Tom Hardy. Hardy’s portrayal of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises is undeniably memorable, and when the two actors met on Nolan’s third Batman film, they appeared to hold a mutual respect for each other, each bringing a unique intensity to their roles.
“And Tom, who I’ve been working with mostly the last few weeks, he’s a real fascinating actor,” Bale told Collider during the production of The Dark Knight Rises. “He’s going to be creating some wonderful characters over his career, and he’s doing so with this. He’s kind of gleeful coming into work every day”. This buzzing dedication was a constant inspiration.
Though today, both actors are often ridiculed for the voices they employed in the Dark Knight films, the argument could be made that this is symptomatic of their similarly strong dedication to their roles. The similarities in their approaches may be why Bale had such kind words to offer about Hardy. Bale’s words seem to mean even more when you take into account Heath Ledger’s incredible performance in the previous effort—a performance Hardy was trying to match.
He was impressed, not only by Hardy’s commitment but also his attitude, clearly appreciating Hardy’s joy at arriving on set. It can be tasking sitting in make-up for hours and lumping into a heavy suit, but Hardy has always channelled the hard-knocks of his early career into a blossoming second act, full of passion and bravura.
It’s not hard to see why Bale appreciated Hardy’s processes, given they are both Chameleon-like actors who seem to disappear into their roles behind physical changes and accents. Something Bale has continued to do in the years since he left Batman. He famously put on weight to play Dick Cheney in Vice before slimming down to play Ken Miles in Le Mans ’66.
However, Hardy seems to have given up this practice altogether, telling Men’s Journal, “I think you pay the price with any drastic physical changes,” showing that his dogged commitment to roles has affected him personally. Hardy’s biggest part since The Dark Knight Rises has been in another superhero franchise, portraying Venom in the Venom films. It’s a role where he leaves the physical changes to the visual effects department.
Nevertheless, Bale’s prediction has come true as Hardy has continued to create wonderful characters throughout his career. From his take on Mad Max to Alfie Solomons in Peaky Blinders, as well as the previously mentioned comic book anti-hero, Hardy has brought many strange and interesting characters to the screen.
Doing so often with a dark humour that sets him apart from other character actors. However, this singular style is also reminiscent of Bale, who brought a similar approach to roles like Dick Cheney, showing a jet-black comic streak in the satire. Although they only worked together once, it seems Bale and Hardy will forever be seen in a class of their own.
