Christian Bale
Born: 1974-01-30 in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK
Known For: Acting
Biography
Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. He has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. Forbes magazine ranked him as one of the highest-paid actors in 2014. Born in Wales to English parents, Bale had his breakthrough role at age 13 in Steven Spielberg's 1987 war film Empire of the Sun. After more than a decade of performing in leading and supporting roles in films, he gained wider recognition for his portrayals of serial killer Patrick Bateman in the black comedy American Psycho (2000) and the titular role in the psychological thriller The Machinist (2004). In 2005, he played superhero Batman in Batman Begins and again in The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), garnering acclaim for his performance in the trilogy, which is one of the highest-grossing film franchises. Bale continued in starring roles in a range of films outside his work as Batman, including the period drama The Prestige (2006), the action film Terminator Salvation (2009), the crime drama Public Enemies (2009), the epic film Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) and the superhero film Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). For his portrayal of boxer Dicky Eklund in the 2010 biographical film The Fighter, he won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Further Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations came for his work in the black comedy American Hustle (2013) and the biographical dramedies The Big Short (2015) and Vice (2018). His performances as politician Dick Cheney in Vice and race car driver Ken Miles in the sports drama Ford v Ferrari (2019) earned him a second win and a fifth nomination respectively at the Golden Globe Awards.
Filmography
2026
- The Bride! as Frankenstein's Monster
2025
- Sibyl as (Archive footage)
2022
- Thor: Love and Thunder as Gorr
- The Pale Blue Eye as Augustus Landor
- Amsterdam as Burt Berendsen
- Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Thor: Love and Thunder as Self - Gorr
- Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer as Self
2021
2020
2019
- Ford v Ferrari as Ken Miles
2018
- Vice as Dick Cheney
- Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle as Bagheera (voice)
2016
- The Promise as Chris Myers
2015
- The Big Short as Michael Burry
- Knight of Cups as Rick
- Keepers of the Covenant: Making 'Exodus: Gods and Kings' as Self
2014
- Exodus: Gods and Kings as Moses
- The Making of American Hustle as Self
2013
- American Hustle as Irving Rosenfeld
- Out of the Furnace as Russell Baze
2012
- The Dark Knight Rises as Bruce Wayne
- Ending the Knight as Self
- The Batmobile as Self
2011
- The Flowers of War as John Miller
- Making of "The Flowers of War"
2010
- The Fighter as Dicky Eklund
2009
- Terminator Salvation as John Connor
- Public Enemies as Melvin Purvis
- Heath Ledger: A Tribute as Self
- Michael Mann: Making 'Public Enemies' as Self
2008
- The Dark Knight as Bruce Wayne
- Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of The Dark Knight as Self
- Gotham Uncovered: Creation of a Scene as Self
- Gotham Tonight as Bruce Wayne
2007
- Rescue Dawn as Dieter Dengler
- 3:10 to Yuma as Dan Evans
- I'm Not There as Jack / Pastor John
- The Director's Notebook: The Cinematic Sleight of Hand of Christopher Nolan as Self
- Making of a True Story: Rescue Dawn as Self
2006
- The Prestige as Alfred Borden
2005
- Batman Begins as Bruce Wayne / Batman
- Harsh Times as Jim Luther Davis
- The New World as John Rolfe
- Tankman Begins as Batman (archive footage)
2004
- The Machinist as Trevor Reznik
2003
- Laurel Canyon as Sam
2002
- Equilibrium as John Preston
- Reign of Fire as Quinn Abercromby
2001
- Captain Corelli's Mandolin as Mandras
2000
- Shaft as Walter Wade, Jr.
- American Psycho as Patrick Bateman
- Shaft: Still the Man as Self
1999
- The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn as Self - Guest
- A Midsummer Night's Dream as Demetrius
- Mary, Mother of Jesus as Jesus of Nazareth
- All the Little Animals as Bobby Platt
- The Alien Legacy ... (Thanks)
- The Early Show as Self
1998
- Velvet Goldmine as Arthur Stuart
- Dying to Tell the Story as Narrator / Dan Eldon (uncredited) (voice)
1997
- Metroland as Chris
1996
- The Portrait of a Lady as Edward Rosier
- The Secret Agent as Stevie
- E! True Hollywood Story as Self (archive footage)
1995
- Pocahontas as Thomas (voice)
1994
- Little Women as Laurie
- Prince of Jutland as Amled
1993
- GMTV as Self
- Swing Kids as Thomas Berger
1992
- MTV Movie & TV Awards as Self / Presenter
- Newsies as Jack 'Cowboy' Kelly
- HBO First Look as Self
1991
- A Murder of Quality as Tim Perkins
- Blood Drips Heavily on Newsie Square as Self
1990
- Treasure Island as Jim Hawkins
1989
- Henry V as Robin the Luggage-Boy
1987
- Empire of the Sun as Jim
- Mio in the Land of Faraway as Jum-Jum / Benke
- The China Odyssey: Empire of the Sun as Self
- Citizen Steve as Self - Actor
- Heart of the Country as Ben Harris
1986
- Anastasia - The Mystery of Anna as Tsarevich Alexei
1982
- Wogan as Self
1981
- Entertainment Tonight as Self