How Christian Bale lost weight for the film The Machinist, how actors lose weight

The star of the films “Bae” Christian Bale puts himself through cruel experiments that not everyone can repeat.

However, his experience can be useful for those who are planning to lose weight at once and a lot.

Christian Bale is a serious dramatic actor, and his role in The Machinist is proof of this. However, the first thing you will notice in this film is not Christian’s performance, but his impossible thinness. According to the script, Bale's character does not sleep or eat for a year. To play this role, the actor had to lose 28 kilograms in 4 months. As Christian Bale himself says: “I wanted to lose more weight, but they stopped me in time.”

After an interview with the film actor, one gets the impression that he managed to lose weight mainly through self-discipline. If there were any difficulties, they were mostly of a psychological nature. Christian lost weight on his own, focusing only on his own well-being. Many friends were worried that he was ill. But the actor claims that he felt good. He felt calm and even peace. Christian calls the desire to prove to himself that he is capable of much for the sake of an interesting role, the desire to gain new impressions, one of the main incentives in the fight against his own body.

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Welshman Christian Bale facts about Batman thrice

Son of a pilot and grandson of a clown

Christian's father, David Bale, was a pilot, and his mother Jenny worked in a circus.
The star's full name is Christian Charles Philip.

Christian has three sisters: Erin is a musician, Sharon is a computer scientist, and Louise is a director/actress.

Bale's grandfather was also a creative person: a comedian and children's animator.

The actor spent his childhood in Wales, but loves to speak with an English accent.

Fun fact: Christian Bale first appeared on TV in 1982, in a commercial for Lenor fabric softener, and in 1983 in a breakfast cereal commercial.

A year later he made his theater debut in London's West End in a play with Rowan Atkinson.

Fell in love with Drew Barrymore

There were 4 thousand applicants for the role of Jim Graham in the war drama Empire of the Sun, but Spielberg chose Bale.

For this work, Christian received critical acclaim and became the first winner of a special award for young actors.

Fun fact: Christian Bale admitted he was in love with Drew Barrymore when she visited her godfather Steven Spielberg on the set of Empire of the Sun. He was 13, she was 12.

Psychopath helped career

When preparing for the role of Patrick Bey, Christian was inspired by Nicolas Cage in the film Vampire's Kiss.

Before filming began, Bale was warned that American Psycho could damage his career, but this infuriated the actor even more.

During the filming of the film, he spoke with an American accent both on and off set. Therefore, when Christian spoke with a British accent at the farewell party, everyone thought: he was preparing for a new role.

American Psycho was the first movie for which Bale transformed his body.

Eternal metamorphoses of the body

He would later lose 63 pounds for The Machinist, bulk up for The Dark Knight franchise, and lose weight again for The Fighter and Rescue Dawn. And for the sake of his role in “American Hustle,” Christian, on the contrary, will noticeably gain weight.

He is described as not a very pleasant person. An artist can flare up and have a scandal (this happened on the set of the film “Terminator: May the Savior Come”). But Bale loves animals, he has 2 dogs and three cats.

Amazing fact: Christian Bale reduced his diet to a can of tuna and one apple a day in order to become catastrophically thin for The Machinist. He “quenched” his appetite by smoking.

The youngest Bruce Wayne

He is the seventh actor to play the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman and the youngest.

Bale performed all the stunts himself, except for the Batmobile chase.

In the movie Batman Begins, there is a scene where Neeson and Bale's characters are fighting on a frozen lake. The actors heard the ice cracking under their feet, but this did not stop them. The next day the ice completely melted.

Unplayed roles: Dawson, Turner, Bond

In 1997, Christian Bale - interesting fact - auditioned for the role of Jack Dawson in Titanic and almost got it. But Kate Winslet intervened.

He could have gotten the role of Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean, but lost it to Orlando Bloom.

Another unplayed role is Bond in Casino Royale.

Bale was included in Empire magazine's list of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in 2007.

The drug addict brought good luck

For the film "The Fighter" - a well-known fact - Christian Bale received an Oscar and a Golden Globe.

In addition to these awards, his role as a drug addict trainer of his own brother brought him 30 more awards.

Together with his wife he protects animals

Christian is a big fan of the Terminator franchise.

Bale loves video games.

He is married to Sandra ("SeeBee") Blazik, a former makeup artist and acting agent whom he met through Winona Ryder.

The couple has two children: daughter Emmeline and son Joseph.

One last interesting fact about Christian Bale: together with his wife, he supports conservation groups (Greenpeace and WWF) and is on the board of trustees of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

Christian Bale is a chameleon actor.

Hello!!!)))
I recently watched the film “The Machinist” with Christian Bale in the title role and gasped... I mean, I was amazed at his ability to transform with such ease. This is how you need to be able to manage your body and weight! I sat and remembered which other actor had ever reincarnated as often as Bale (I mean body transformation) - I couldn’t remember! In general, let's see how Christian's body changed over different periods)

Christian Bale began his acting career at age nine, appearing in a 1983 British television commercial. A year later, Bale made his theatrical debut - in the play “The Botanist” he played together with the famous comedian Rowan Atkinson. Bale’s debut in big cinema was his role in the joint Soviet-Scandinavian film “Mio, my Mio.”

Christian in the movie “Mio, My Mio” (1987). Well, in this movie he’s still just a child)

This is what young Christian looked like in the film Empire of the Sun (1987)

The film tells the story of a British boy, Jamie Graham, who lived with his family in a respectable area of Shanghai before the Second World War, and when it began, he ended up in a Japanese internment camp.

Christian in the film "News Vendors" (1992) The film takes place in 1899 New York and tells the story of a strike by street newspaper vendors. For this role, Christian was nominated for a Young Actor Award.

Subtle Christian in the film Velvet Goldmine (1998)

In this film, he plays British journalist Arthur Stewart, who writes an article about the mysterious disappearance of glam rock star Brian Slade, which caused a lot of noise ten years earlier. As Stewart interviews people who knew Slade closely, images of his own youthful admiration for the androgynous rock star emerge in his memory.

Christian Bale in the film "American Psycho" (2000)

For the role of a maniac and murderer, Bale had to gain some muscle mass. He spent four months creating these sculptural forms, working out in the gym for three hours, six times a week.

Christian in the film "The Machinist" (2004)

For the role of Trevor Resnick in the film The Machinist, Bale lost almost 30 kg. This is one of his most famous roles. The actor had to get rid of his athletic form and lose almost 30 kg. in just four months. His diet consisted of water, coffee and one apple a day. In addition, he used a complex of vitamins and minerals. For his role in this film, Christian Bale received the award for best actor at the Catalan Film Festival in Sitges.

Then came the film "Batman Begins" (2005)

The actor was faced with the task of gaining weight in a short period in order to portray the indestructible Batman in all his glory. Bale switched to a high-carbohydrate diet and returned to three-hour training sessions. I gained 27 kg before the film and another 18 kg during filming. He was awarded the MTV Award as “Best Hero”.

Christian in the film "Rescue Dawn" (2006)

And for the film Rescue Dawn, Bale easily lost 24 kg. Stunning makeup, depicting the last stage of exhaustion, made his image extremely realistic. The hero of Christian Bale in this film will have to go through captivity, torture, escape and wander in the jungle for two weeks, hoping for a miraculous rescue...

Film "Prestige" (2006)

And in the film “The Prestige” the hero of Christian Bale appears before us in this form. Already gained kilograms)

Christian in The Dark Knight (2008)

In the film "The Dark Knight" we see the actor in excellent physical shape.

Also for the film “Terminator Salvation” (2009), Bale again went to the gym to build muscle mass for the role of John Connor.

Christian in The Fighter (2010)

In order to achieve greater authenticity in the portrayal of cocaine addict Dicky Eklund, Christian went on a strict diet, eating only vegetables and fruits, although this was not required of him under the contract. He became so thin that his partner Mark Wahlberg publicly expressed concern about his health. For this role he received an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Christian in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Batman, as everyone knows, must always look consistently athletic and muscular. It was for this role in the third part of the trilogy that Bale put on muscle again.

Christian in the film "Out of the Furnace" (2013)

For the role of Russell Baze, the actor once again needed to lose significant weight. The plot centers on the story of a man convicted of murder who, having been released from prison after four years behind bars, is trying to adapt to a new life and finally fulfill the promise he made long ago to marry the girl he loves. However, he still decides to put these rosy plans aside and first take revenge for the murder of his younger brother.

Christian in the movie American Hustle (2013)

For the role of Irving Rosenfeld in the film American Hustle, Christian again needed to gain weight. The actor told reporters that in order to achieve the desired result, he constantly ate “donuts, cheeseburgers and everything he could get his hands on.” As a result, Christian gained about 20 kilograms.

Christian in the film Exodus: Kings and Gods (2014)

Since, in fact, no one knows exactly what weight Moses was, so Christian simply returned to his usual weight and appeared in the Ridley Scott film.

Just recently, Christian surprised everyone again. Once again, the actor radically changed his appearance for a new role. Christian gained a lot of weight and shaved his head to authentically play US Vice President Dick Cheney. In September of this year, the actor admitted that he promised not to subject himself to “extreme physical transformations” anymore, but for the sake of the role of a politician, he gained weight for several months. Bale joked that he had to "eat a lot of pies" to achieve this. The biopic about the life of former US Vice President Dick Cheney is called Backseat (the film does not yet have a localized name).

And a small bonus)

Christian Bale's weight loss recipe:

1. DON'T EAT “I realized that only by completely giving up food would I achieve my goal.” 2. RUN “I ran as long as I could. In the end I didn’t have the strength to do it anymore.” 3. GET DISTRACTED “When I felt hungry, I took a book and read so as not to think about food.” 4. DON’T GO ANYWHERE “You eat and drink in company, so during the “diet” I preferred solitude.”

That's all, actually. More good roles for you, Christian! We all know that you will do an excellent job in any role!!!)))

Filming in the film The Machinist

For the filming of The Machinist, Christian Bale lost a third of his weight, losing up to 55 kg. This diet is absolutely simple: an apple, a cup of coffee and a can of tuna per day: (1) - 200-250 calories at a rate of 2500. Result: loss of fat, and most of the muscle.

The break between filming The Machinist and the first scenes of Batman was only 6 weeks! During this time, the actor tried to regain his shape as quickly as possible and, in addition, gain good muscle mass. Result: he increased his weight to 86 kilograms.

Christian Bale's diet for filming Batman

The actor needed to regain muscle very quickly, and the total calorie intake was almost 4000 kcal. Every day he ate 350 g of protein, 500 g of carbohydrates and 70-90 g of fat. The training was as active as possible to minimize fat gain.

Christian Bale is a vegetarian and does not eat meat or poultry(2). Protein sources included fish, dairy products, eggs, and protein shakes. Meals occurred every 2-3 hours - otherwise he simply would not have eaten so much in a day.

What program does Batman use to train?

The program was based on variations of basic exercises that involved several muscle groups at once - both main and auxiliary. The goal was to activate the white muscle fibers responsible for explosive power.

Christian performed barbell push-ups, deadlift variations, squat jumps, and explosive bench presses(3). The exercises were performed at a fast pace, and the workouts included a high volume of cardio.

The first day:

Superset of pull-ups and pull-downs - 4 sets of 12 repetitions of each exercise. Designed for warm-up, light to medium weights are used.

Lifting the barbell from the floor to the chest - 4 sets of 10, 10, 8 and 6 repetitions. The lowest point of movement is the barbell on the floor; upper – to chest levels; The first part of the movement is similar to a deadlift, then the barbell rises higher. Light and medium weights are used.

Lifting the barbell with pushing up - 4 sets of 10, 10, 8 and 6 repetitions.

Second day:

Sprint – a race of 10 meters in 5 sets, 30 meters in 5 sets, 40 meters in 5 sets. Rest between sets – 1 minute, between distances – 2 minutes.

Jump squats – 4 sets of 10, 10, 8 and 6 reps. Squats with a sharp jump up from the bottom point of the movement, at the top point the legs are torn off the ground. To reduce the risk of injury, only perform with a backpack loaded with weight and not with a barbell.

Lunges – 4 sets of 10 reps.

Day three:

Superset of Smith rack bench press and dumbbell flyes – 3 sets of 12 reps of each exercise. Designed for warm-up, light weight.

Smith's Explosive Rack Bench Press - 4 sets of 10, 10, 8 and 6 reps. Bench press with barbell thrown up. Performed under the mandatory supervision of the insurer. See description below.

“Ricochet” – each approach lasts 2 minutes, then 30 seconds. rest; total – 30 minutes. There are 2 squares measuring 30x30 cm on the floor. You need to jump from one corner to another as quickly as possible, constantly changing the direction of the jump.

Day four:

Cardio exercises to increase blood flow in the muscles and accelerate metabolism and recovery: elliptical, swimming, and more. The training lasts no more than an hour!

Days five, six and seven:

Repeat 1, 2 and 3 days.

How to do an explosive bench press?

Important points: the exercise must be performed in a Smith stance, the control of a trainer or insurer is extremely important, it is necessary to use light and medium weights to avoid injury.

Exercise technique: lying in a Smith stance, lower the barbell until it touches your chest, sharply raise it, fully straightening your arms, at the top point push the barbell up and release it from your hands; then gently accept, lower down and repeat the movement.

Little secrets of Christian Bale's figure!

Note that none of the exercises included in the program can be safely performed with heavy weights, which once again proves that sufficient load for muscle growth can be achieved with medium weights.

In addition, I would like to separately warn you against repeating the actor’s training methods - sudden weight loss and further weight gain, repeated several times, are without a doubt extremely harmful to both metabolism and health.

Christian Bale is an actor who, out of love for his profession, has already transformed several times from a muscular athlete to a starved prisoner and back. In fact, such self-experiments are definitely harmful!!!

The editors of the ABS-sports.ru website wish Christian health and success in his hard work!!!

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Christian Bale
Workout

Christian Bale's diet for filming Batman

Christian Bale is a vegetarian and does not eat meat or poultry. Protein sources included fish, dairy products, eggs, and protein shakes. Meals occurred every 2-3 hours - otherwise he simply would not have eaten so much in a day.

Christian Bale

Date of birth: January 30, 1974.
Height: 183 cm.
Weight: from 55 to 90 kg.

In my opinion, the best films in which Bale starred are: “The Dark Knight Rises”, “The Prestige”, “Equilibrium”, “Terminator: May the Savior Come”, “American Psycho”. I also recommend watching all these films, I guarantee you won’t regret it.

And so, Weight from 55 to 90 kg, why such a spread? Below is a photo that shows Christian Bale's transformations over the years.

As you can see, it is impossible to give an absolutely accurate weight of a given person, because... it is constantly changing. For example, before the start of the film, driver Bale weighed 83 kg. In 4 months (which was exactly the period of time he spent preparing for the film The Machinist), he lost 28 kg (63 lbs), thereby dropping his weight from 83 kg to 55 kg.

A depressing sight, isn't it? How did he manage to do this? The answer is quite simple: 1 apple, a can of tuna, 3 cups of coffee and all this for the whole day. In addition, he used a complex of vitamins and minerals. Total: about 200-250 calories per day. Can you imagine it? Of course, with such a calorie content, the result was a sharp loss of both fat and muscle. That's basically it. Christian Bale's ideas were very simple, he did not have the goal of preserving muscle, he was ready to sacrifice both fat and muscle mass, but physical activity was still present.

But this is not physical exercise with weights, this is a kind of cardio exercise, stretching, isometric exercises, that is, he was physically active, but he ate very little.

What do I mean by this? An adult with a height of 183 cm, brought himself to a weight of 55 kg, having all the temptations that you can imagine in this life, I simply cannot imagine how you can have such endurance, discipline, in general, this is very cool!

Do you think that's all? Hehe, this is just the beginning. It's even cooler!

After filming the film The Machinist, it turned out that filming began on the film “Batman Begins” where Christian Bale plays the main role of Batman. Judge for yourself, what the hell is Batman made of bones and skin? Christian again had to work hard to look like his fairy-tale hero. So, over the course of 5 months, Christian Bale gains 45.5 kg of lean muscle mass (100 pounds).

How does his diet and training change?

Christian radically changes the amount of carbohydrates and protein in his daily diet.

Protein 2.5 grams per 1 kg of desired body weight), i.e. gradually increases to 250 grams per day.
Carbohydrates 3 grams per 1 kg of desired body weight), i.e. gradually increases to 300 grams per day.

And, of course, the training itself changes radically. From aerobic exercise, he moves on to hard physical labor, what is called building muscle mass. The most interesting thing is that he gained more than he had before the film as a driver (85 kg), but became 100 kg.

In general, before the film The Machinist he weighed 85 kg, in preparation for the film The Machinist he dropped to 55 kg, and after 5 months his weight became 100 kg. In 9 months, he undergoes various transformations with his body so radically.

Do you think that's all? I am begging you. When Christian gained weight 100 kg and appeared to the director of the film Batman, the director told him: Christian, this is excess muscle mass. Let's lose at least 10kg back, which is exactly what Christian did. It's incredible what he does with his weight.

But this is not the end, in 2010 Christine Bale was preparing for the main role in the film The Fighter, the actor again lost a lot of weight, although this was not required by the contract, losing weight from 100 to 66 kilograms.

It’s simply incredible, after conducting such an experiment on yourself at least once, no matter how long, you will learn so much about your body that you can do whatever your heart desires! Christian is proof of that. Christian Bale is a British film actor who has repeatedly proven that he is ready for the craziest metamorphoses for the sake of a role.

He does not look for easy ways: while other actors make do with silicone pads, Christian gains weight so that his character looks natural. What you won't do for art! Interesting to know: admires the actor’s talent and shows his 12 incredible transformations on the screen

Christian Bale is a British film actor who has repeatedly proven that he is ready for the craziest metamorphoses for the sake of a role. He does not look for easy ways: while other actors make do with silicone pads, Christian gains weight so that his character looks natural. What you won't do for art! It’s interesting to know that he admires the actor’s talent and shows his 12 incredible transformations on the screen.

Star diet diet

Christian Bale's diet for The Machinist was difficult and exhausting, both physically and emotionally. The actor sharply reduced the caloric content of food consumed in order to get rid of fat deposits and muscle mass. At the time of preparation for filming, Christian Bale's height was 183 centimeters and his weight was 83 kilograms. In 4 months, the actor lost 28 kilograms.

Christian Bale's diet menu was monotonous. He ate the same foods every day. Actor's daily diet:

1 can of canned tuna – 96 calories per 100 grams of product.
1 apple a day – 47 calories per 100 grams of product.
3 cups of coffee – 2-5 calories per 100 ml of drink.

Apart from tuna, apple and coffee, the actor drank a lot of water daily to maintain a normal metabolic process in the body. Thus, the energy value of the diet was no more than 300 kilocalories. For comparison, the daily allowance recommended by doctors for an adult man leading an active lifestyle is 2500-3000 kilocalories.

Long-term consumption of foods with low nutritional value negatively affects the functioning of the body and, as a result, a person’s well-being. For the normal functioning of internal organs, the body must receive vitamins, so an important component of Christian Bale’s diet was taking a complex of vitamins and minerals.

Diet Christian Bale

What was the diet: Christian Bale used the following menu to lose weight:

For his morning meal, Bale relied on a cup of black coffee, to which the actor did not add sugar or its substitutes.
For lunch it was supposed to be canned tuna in its own juice. You could eat 200 g of this fish. The drink was again black coffee, unadorned.
For dinner, the actor only drank a cup of coffee.
During the day, 1 small green apple was allowed.
To reduce harm to the body, the actor took multivitamin complexes.

With such a diet, not only fat mass is instantly lost, but also muscle mass, since the starved body used up all the reserves of the available mass to maintain vital functions.

In addition to the diet, the actor tried to run while he had the strength. His goal at that time was to burn as much muscle and fat as possible, and aerobic exercise without proper nutrition forces the body to use up the available reserves of substances to the maximum.
In addition, Christian distracted himself from the desire to eat through favorite activities, such as reading books.
He also tried to spend all his free time at home and did not attend star parties, so as not to be tempted to eat or drink too much.

Bale subsequently admitted that he managed to lose so much weight only thanks to discipline and dedication. While losing weight, he was guided only by his own feelings, practically without resorting to the recommendations of nutritionists. Friends, relatives and colleagues expressed their concern about the actor’s condition, but he himself claimed that his health was quite normal.

“American Psycho” Christian Bale – training for the abs

Christian Bale's first serious role was in the film American Psycho. Initially, DiCaprio applied for it, but at the last moment he changed his mind.

Christian was faced with a serious task - to turn into an ideal man in appearance in just six months! And if changing your smile turned out to be a simple matter, dealing with your body was much more difficult.

Christian Bale started going to the gym, but after a while he quit. He himself explains this by saying that he simply did not know what to do there.

I'm English. We don't go to the gym. We're going to the pub!

The actor, famous today, also did not know about diets, and did not really want to be interested in this issue.

Basic principles of the diet

Christian Bale has two diets. He uses one for weight loss, the other for weight gain.

Low calorie

One of the toughest food systems that exists.

The daily calorie intake is reduced to 250 kcal and does not exceed 400 kcal.
A monotonous menu that does not change from day to day until the desired results are achieved.
Products: black coffee without sugar, apples, canned tuna in its own juice (without added oil), clean drinking water.
It is mandatory to take a carefully selected vitamin and mineral complex.
Plus the diet includes daily intense training.
No strength exercises, only cardio, stretching, isometric gymnastics, aerobics, long-distance running.

Doctors warn that the diet, if followed for a long time, is dangerous to health and can lead to exhaustion, anorexia, mental disorders and other complications. These are not empty words: while on such a diet, the actor repeatedly lost consciousness during filming, forgot his role, and could not concentrate on the game. There were situations when he had to rest in order to recover to continue working. However, day after day he still ate only tuna with apples and exercised regularly.

High calorie

The complete opposite of the low-calorie diet is Christian Bale's high-carbohydrate diet, which he uses when the director urgently requires him to gain weight for a new role.

The daily calorie intake increases to 2500-3000 kcal.
The menu is varied and relatively balanced: the emphasis is on proteins (for building muscle mass, at least 250 g per day) and carbohydrates (for energy, 300 g per day).
Main products: eggs, fish, milk as sources of proteins; cereals, pasta, fruits and vegetables as carbohydrates.
To gain weight for the last film, he even allowed himself fast food.
Meals - every 2-3 hours.
Regular intense training complements the diet.
Strength exercises are added to cardio loads to build muscle mass, and preference is given to working with hardware.

Training program

Not a single day of rest. After a day of cardio exercise, repeat the entire scheme from the very beginning.

The undoubted advantage of both diets is their effectiveness. The actor showed by his own example how you can lose 30 kg in just 4 months, and then get it back just as quickly. But at the same time, we must not forget about their obvious drawback - a health hazard. You need to understand that a star of such magnitude can afford personal nutritionists, trainers and doctors who regularly monitor his health and help him rehabilitate after such a “roller coaster” with weight.

Christian Bale's body transformations: “The Machinist, 2004” (55 kg); "Batman, 2005" (86 kg); “American Hustle, 2013” (92 kg)

Many Bale fans have tried his weight loss diet. In most cases, such attempts ended in failure. The rest were hospitalized with stomach and mental disorders. Without constant supervision from specialists, it is categorically not recommended to practice such a system of nutrition and training on your own.

short biography

Born January 30, 1974 in Wales, UK. His father worked as a civil aviation pilot, and his mother was a circus performer, so the family moved around a lot. The future actor spent his childhood mainly in the UK, USA and Portugal. It is worth noting that Christian's grandfather was an actor. So it’s not surprising that Christian himself began his career at the age of nine, starring in a commercial. Soon he had the chance to play in the television film “Anastasia: The Secret of Anna.” Also during that period, he began playing in the theater, where he even ended up on the same stage with the famous comedian “Mr. Bean” (Rowan Actinson). Interestingly, Christian’s debut on the big screen took place in 1987 in a Soviet-Scandinavian film based on the fairy tale “Mio, my Mio” by Astrid Lindgren. And the next role in Steven Spielberg’s drama “Empire of the Sun” is already bringing young Christian quite a lot of fame

But the teenager didn’t like the excessive attention at all, and he stopped acting for a couple of years.

He returned to the screens in 1989 in the film adaptation of Shakespeare's play Henry V: The Battle of Agincourt, then he played Jim Hawkins in the film adaptation of Robert Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. Gradually, Christian began to get more and more adult roles. He performed excellent roles in a couple of musicals, showing his ability to sing and dance, and a little later he voiced a cartoon character. There were also roles alongside other popular actors in such successful films as Little Women and Secret Agent. In 1997, Christian Bale played the main role in the film Metroland, and a year later he brilliantly played a reporter-fan in the film about the glam rock era, Velvet Goldmine. His film “All the Little Animals” received a warm reception at the Cannes Film Festival. And in 1999, he again took part in the film adaptation of Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream. The following year, Christian Bale played the lead role in the dramatic thriller American Psycho, based on a book that many put on a par with Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club. Christian himself, in preparation for the role, gained muscle mass and changed his front teeth for the worse.

Christian Bale: I lose weight or gain weight, even if the director does not require it

Photo: GLOBAL LOOK PRESS

“The Short Game” tells the story of several real-life swindlers from the world of finance, whose intuition and analytical skills allowed them not only to predict the mortgage collapse and the subsequent economic crisis of 2008, but even to profit from it. The heroic chameleon actor Bale, sometimes losing weight to the point of complete exhaustion, sometimes getting fatter to the point of complete disgust, is perhaps the only one of the big stars involved in this film who managed to make his character memorable. His slightly out-of-phase mathematician with a glass eye, pumping his abs to hard rock music in his office and preferring tattered shorts to suits and ties, is another worthy type in Bale’s gallery of images, exactly somewhere in the middle between “American Psycho” and Batman .

— How do you “grow” your characters?

— I never try my characters on myself and vice versa. I always start with the little things, but, like many people, I am quite maniacal about them. I begin to study a subject that interests me, I try to understand it in some small manifestations. I bring myself to a state of obsession, constantly imagining and imagining my character. I bring myself to a state where everything I have learned turns into a habit. When the obsession has done its job, you gradually begin to feel more relaxed and natural. I no longer need to even think about all this, I can open up and come out of the cocoon - to more people, to some more complex tasks. I listen to a lot of music in preparation - dozens of different bands. Some films are more music and literature to me than cinema. They are always open to interpretation.

— In such as, for example, “Knight of Cups” by Terrence Malick.

- This was not the first time I worked with Malik, I starred in his “New World” - that film still had a script, although even then he liked to deviate from it and it was already clear where it was going. He said that he wanted to make a film in which there would be no script - we would move on a whim, with more freedom, inventing our own characters. Of course, he most likely has some kind of idea, but he is happy when it changes as filming progresses. From the material that we shot, he could make many different films. Therefore, watching “Knight of Cups” was a big surprise for me; I had no idea what awaited me. This director is a great ego buster. Sometimes you play a scene, think how great you played it, and then you see that the camera was pointed in the opposite direction at that time, and you did it all for yourself.

— You are one of the few actors capable of radical physical transformations. Why and how do you do this?

— I rarely move from project to project. I prepare for the role, changing for it if necessary. By the way, sometimes the director doesn’t even ask me about this - I change myself, without his knowledge. And then he complains that he didn’t want this from me. There were such cases, but I convinced the directors, they agreed and we got along. I won't give examples. I do it when it seems to me that it will be right. For me none of this is a problem. No, it can be difficult. Still not a problem. This is what I believe I myself am obliged to do. This is how I see my work.

For his role in the film “The Machinist,” the actor brought himself to complete exhaustion.

Photo: GLOBAL LOOK PRESS

But in the crime tragicomedy American Hustle, Bale appeared significantly overweight.

Photo: GLOBAL LOOK PRESS

— What attracted you to Batman? I can understand what attracted Heath Ledger to the Joker, but Batman...

— Who wouldn’t want to play such a stunning maniac and anarchist like the Joker? If I hadn't played Batman, I would have enjoyed playing him myself. What interested me in Batman was precisely the fact that I absolutely could not imagine myself in this role. He never interested me at all. We sat down with Chris Nolan and exchanged our thoughts on the character. He completely agreed with my point of view: a person dressing up as a bat is absurd. You can't build a thriller on this, it's a comedy. But if you make Batman into a person suffering from multiple personality disorder, then that's a different matter! Batman uses one of his guises to express the demonic rage that overcomes him, and thus makes his life easier. Inside a man named Bruce Wayne lives a monster whose name is Batman!

— In this interpretation, Batman is not very different from your character in American Psycho. And this maniac hero has an appropriate surname - Bateman.

- Yes, they have a lot in common! There is only one difference: Batman has a soul, and Bateman does not. This is an absolutely soulless person, not attached to anything, having no connection with reality.

The actor in the role of the thunderstorm of villains - Batman.

Photo: GLOBAL LOOK PRESS

— One of your first acting works was the film “Mio, my Mio,” filmed at the Gorky Studio.

“It was such a strange adventure.” I was 10-11 years old. I think this was my film debut. I only starred with Spielberg about two years later. I was taken away from my parents and brought to Moscow, then to Yalta. It was then that I first felt like an independent, grown-up guy. The fact that I now feel at home anywhere in the world has its roots precisely in that early experience I acquired in Russia. It’s not so easy for a child to be left alone without a family in such a distant country and cope with it. But the difficulties were not limited to psychological tests. During my stay in Russia, Chernobyl exploded. Not bad, right? Now it’s even funny to remember: we interrupted filming in Yalta for only two weeks, as if this was enough for the radiation to dissipate. I remember how before dinner we tested the food with a Geiger counter. And the water in the pool too. And still I remember those shootings with great warmth. The director was Vladimir Grammatikov, the group included Russians, Swedes, and Englishmen. It was a funny time, unlike anything else...

— What does Hollywood mean to you? Why don't you live in Los Angeles?

“When I was there for the first time, I was simply stunned. I had never seen such people and did not know that it was possible to live like them. In all these palaces and beach houses. Get behind the wheel after smoking a couple of joints and drive into other cars. At first I was shocked by all this, and then I just realized that all this was not for me. I felt it was wrong. Anyone who finds themselves in the film business has similar observations - it’s just that everyone decides differently whether it suits him personally or not... Emptiness is not only characteristic of the inhabitants of Hollywood. Everything is just more extravagant and visible here. When you strive for something and then achieve it, the question always arises: what next? And everything you imagined did not quite come true - simply because you remained yourself! You didn’t become Superman, you are you, and you still have the same problems. People around you may not know this, but you yourself know it. I think back to being a teenager and I feel like I'm still the same - despite everything I've learned and been through over the years.

Bale in the movie The Big Short. Photo: freeze frame

— What do you like about cinema in general?

- That I can hate him. Love this roller coaster. And also the relationships that develop with people who work with you. When the right people are selected, it is very satisfying. Well, there's also risk. You never know how it will end. No matter how many talented people take part in a particular project, you never know what the outcome will be.

-What do you dislike most?

— Understand that you are working with imitators.

PRIVATE BUSSINESS

Christian Bale was born on January 30, 1974 in Wales, England. He made his debut on the London stage in the same play with Rowan Atkinson - Mr. Bean. He was chosen by Spielberg for the role in Empire of the Sun out of 4 thousand children. He preferred working in cinema to studying at the Royal Theater Academy. He won his role in American Psycho in an unequal battle with Leonardo DiCaprio. He is rightly considered one of the best actors of our time.

Bale's 5 best films:

"American Psycho"

"Driver"

"Batman Begins"

"The Dark Knight"

"Prestige"

Metamorphoses of Christian Bale

I would like to note: no matter what result you want to achieve - lose weight or gain weight - to achieve your goal, physical exercise must be mandatory and regular!

People are already accustomed to photographs of those who managed to lose a large number of kilograms in a short period of time, but few people trust such stories. But when a famous person manages to lose weight, it causes admiration and inspires him to do similar feats of his own. In particular, many are interested in the diet of Christian Bale, an actor who knows how to play with his weight, increasing and decreasing it to the desired parameters in record time.

Continuation of games with Christian Bale's weight

Christian's experiments did not stop there. For the film Rescue Dawn (2006), he lost weight again to 61 kg, only to gain 83 kg for the film The Dark Knight (2008). After 2 years, he weighed 66 kg in the film “The Fighter”, and for “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012) he recovered to 90 kg.

Information for men

Exercises for the pectoral muscles for men at home

Plank exercise for men

Gym workout plan for men

Workout for weight loss for men at home

The actor is completely immersed in his roles and lives them together with his hero, so it was important for him not to portray someone, but to be him. With all my admiration and respect for Christian Bale, I would like to separately emphasize that such experiments on your body and health can only be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

Consolidating the result from Christian Bale

During attacks of hunger, he read books - this allowed him to simultaneously relax, learn new information and, of course, forget about food for a while. During his weight loss, the actor stuck to home comforts. He did not go anywhere, since communication with relatives and friends implies not only conversations about life, but also additional food or drink.

After you achieve the result, you need to consolidate it. In pursuit of an ideal body, it is sometimes worth giving up your most favorite sweets and dishes. In the first few weeks, try to avoid sugar and hot spices. You need to forget about flour immediately, introduce fatty foods gradually, eat fried and smoked meat no more than once a week. Over time, when you get used to it, you can return other favorite foods to your diet, but gradually, so as not to harm your recently starved body. Try to eat more vegetables and fruits. Freshly squeezed juices will give you a boost of energy for the whole day.

From small to large

In 2000, Bale spent four months in the gym to gain the necessary muscle mass for the film American Psycho. This transformation required a lot of effort from him, but had a very beneficial effect on his appearance.

Lions Gate Films

Still from the film "American Psycho"

That's why fans gasped when the film "The Machinist" came out on the big screen in 2003. For the role of a hero who did not sleep for a year and hardly ate, Christian lost 28 kilograms in the same four months. “I wanted to lose more weight, but they stopped me in time,” the actor honestly admitted.

Filmax Group

Still from the movie "The Machinist"

In order to quickly bring himself to exhaustion, he drank two cups of coffee without sugar every day, ate 200 grams of tuna canned in its own juice and one green apple. According to Bale, he endured all the torment quite easily and did not seek help from nutritionists. And in order not to die from exhaustion in the prime of his life, he took vitamins.

Christian's experiments with weight did not stop there. For the film Rescue Dawn (2006), he lost weight again to 61 kg, only to gain 83 kg for the film The Dark Knight (2008). For the role of Batman, Bale also worked day and night in the gym.

Warner Brothers

Still from the film “Batman. Start"

Two years later he weighed 66 kg in the film “The Fighter”. Christian played the role of the brother of the main character, a promising boxer whose career was ruined due to drugs. For his role as a goofy, skinny junkie, Bale received the coveted Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Relativity Media

Still from the film “The Fighter”

And already in 2012, the actor gained up to 90 kilograms in order to return to the role of Bae. True, such experiments with weight should be resorted to only with the help of specialists. But Christian persistently experimented on himself on his own.

Warner Brothers

Still from the film “The Dark Knight Rises”

Consequences of extreme weight loss

For 4 months, Christian Bale prepared for his role in the film The Machinist. During this time, the actor lost almost 28 kilograms and convincingly played a physically exhausted man with an unstable emotional state. The film was highly praised by critics and enthusiastically received by millions of audiences around the world.

After filming The Machinist, the actor began preparing for the film Batman Begins. To get back into good physical shape, he switched to a high-carbohydrate diet and began strength training to gain muscle mass.

Old age is no joy

As time passed, Bale grew older. Now the actor is 44 years old. In December, a new film with his participation, “The Prompter,” will be released on big screens. The film tells the story of the 46th Vice President of the United States, Dick Cheney.

As always, Bale prepared extensively for his role. The actor studied not only Chaney's body language, but also his manner of speaking. Moreover, he had to learn the names of all government programs that Cheney, the 46th Vice President of the United States, could not have known about.

Global Look Press/F. Sadou

Christian Bale

And most importantly, I gained 20 kilograms. Moreover, in a very short period of time: in the last film “Enemies,” which appeared in Russian cinemas in February, Bale was still a slender man. But if earlier he simply relied on fast food and pies, then this time the actor, feeling that such transformations had a detrimental effect on his health, decided for the first time to “do it according to the rules.”

“Before, I really changed my weight without thinking about the consequences. But now I said to myself: “Perhaps it’s time to approach this wisely.” In the past, in order to lose weight, I simply started smoking and drinking whiskey, but now I’m over forty, and I thought that I should start changing my image under the supervision of a nutritionist,” Christian admitted in an interview. And to look even more like Cheney, Bale shaved his hair and bleached his eyebrows.