'''Christian Charles Philip Bale''' (born January 30, 1974) (also known professionally as '''Christian Morgan Bale''') is a Welsh actor. He is best known for his roles in ''
American Psycho'', ''
Empire of the Sun'', and ''
Batman Begins''. Bale is also known for his versatility as an actor, including mimicking accents, harsh regimens of shedding and gaining weight (particularly for ''
The Machinist'' and ''
Batman Begins''), and generally inhabiting the characters he plays. Before he found success in playing Batman, he was heavily involved in independent film.
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 a British boy who becomes separated from his parents and subsequently find himself 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 impressive cult status on the Internet.
[Wilson, Cintra. http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/feature/2004/10/26/bale/index.html?pn=1 "The magic Christian" ''Salon'', October 26, 2004, retrieved on May 27, 2006.] ''Entertainment Weekly'' also called Bale one of the "Most Creative People in Entertainment", after his performance in ''
American Psycho''.
Early life
Christian Bale was born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales, the youngest of four children, to English parents, the businessman David Bale and circus performer Jenny James. Bale spent his childhood in several countries including the United Kingdom, Portugal, and the United States.
[Wills, Dominic. http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/christian_bale_biog.html "Christian Bale Biography" Tiscali.co.uk, retrieved on May 17, 2006.] David Bale was the driving force behind Christian Bale’s entry into acting, and his resignation from his job as a commercial pilot allowed him to fulfill a desire to travel the world and manage his son’s burgeoning career.
The Bale family left Wales in 1976, when Christian Bale was two years of age. Having a mother who made her living at a circus was an interesting experience for him; he recalled receiving his first kiss from an acrobat named Barta.
As a child, he trained in ballet and on the guitar.
His sister Louise's work in theatre also influenced his decision to become an actor.
Bale's family settled for four years in Bournemouth, where he attended the Bournemouth School for Boys and participated actively in rugby.
Bale’s first foray into acting was a Lenor commercial in 1982, when he was 8.
[ Hotdog. http://www.christianbale.net/articles/2005/hotdog2005.htm “The Dark Knight Returns” ''Christian Bale
]
