Christian Bale
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.
Photos
Movies (78)
Madden
2026 · Al Davis
¡La novia!
2026 · Frank
Sibyl
2025 · (Archive footage)
Fatal addiction: Heath Ledger
2023 · Self (found footage)
Los crímenes de la academia
2022 · Augustus Landor, Producer
Ámsterdam
2022 · Burt Berendsen, Producer
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Thor: Love and Thunder
2022 · Self - Gorr
Thor: Amor y Trueno
2022 · Gorr
Catwoman: The Feline Femme Fatale
2021 · Self
Joker: Put on a Happy Face
2020 · Self
Ford v Ferrari: Bringing the Rivalry to Life
2020 · Self
Contra lo imposible
2019 · Ken Miles
El Vicepresidente: Más allá del poder
2018 · Dick Cheney
Mowgli: Relatos del libro de la selva
2018 · Bagheera (voice)
Hostiles: Violencia americana
2017 · Captain Joseph J. Blocker
Spielberg
2017 · Self - Segment "Empire of the Sun"
La promesa
2016 · Chris Myers
La Gran Apuesta
2015 · Michael Burry
Caballero de copas
2015 · Rick
Keepers of the Covenant: Making 'Exodus: Gods and Kings'
2015 · Self
Éxodo: Dioses y Reyes
2014 · Moses
The Making of American Hustle
2014 · Self
Escándalo Americano
2013 · Irving Rosenfeld
La ley del más fuerte (Out of the Furnace)
2013 · Russell Baze
Ending the Knight
2012 · Self
Batman: El caballero de la noche asciende
2012 · Bruce Wayne
The Batmobile
2012 · Self
The Flowers of War
2011 · John Miller
El peleador
2010 · Dicky Eklund
Michael Mann: Making 'Public Enemies'
2009 · Self
Enemigos Publicos
2009 · Melvin Purvis
Heath Ledger: A Tribute
2009 · Self
Terminator: Salvación
2009 · John Connor
Batman: El caballero de la noche
2008 · Bruce Wayne
Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of The Dark Knight
2008 · Self / Bruce Wayne (archive footage)
Gotham Uncovered: Creation of a Scene
2008 · Self
Making of a True Story: Rescue Dawn
2007 · Self
I'm Not There
2007 · Jack / Pastor John
3:10 Misión peligrosa
2007 · Dan Evans
Rescate al amanecer
2007 · Dieter Dengler
The Director's Notebook: The Cinematic Sleight of Hand of Christopher Nolan
2007 · Self
El Gran Truco
2006 · Alfred Borden
El Nuevo Mundo
2005 · John Rolfe
Soldado de ciudad
2005 · Jim Luther Davis, Executive Producer
Batman inicia
2005 · Bruce Wayne / Batman
Tankman Begins
2005 · Batman (archive footage)
El Maquinista
2004 · Trevor Reznik
Laurel Canyon
2003 · Sam
Equilibrium
2002 · John Preston
El reinado del fuego
2002 · Quinn Abercromby
La mandolina del capitán Corelli
2001 · Mandras
Shaft
2000 · Walter Wade, Jr.
Psicópata Americano
2000 · Patrick Bateman
Shaft: Still the Man
2000 · Self
Mary, Mother of Jesus
1999 · Jesus of Nazareth
All the Little Animals
1999 · Bobby Platt
The Alien Legacy
1999 · Thanks
A Midsummer Night's Dream
1999 · Demetrius
Dying to Tell the Story
1998 · Narrator / Dan Eldon (uncredited) (voice)
Velvet Goldmine
1998 · Arthur Stuart
Metroland
1998 · Chris
The Secret Agent
1996 · Stevie
The Portrait of a Lady
1996 · Edward Rosier
Pocahontas
1995 · Thomas (voice)
Little Women
1994 · Laurie
Prince of Jutland
1994 · Amled
Swing Kids
1993 · Thomas Berger
Newsies
1992 · Jack 'Cowboy' Kelly
A Murder of Quality
1991 · Tim Perkins
Blood Drips Heavily on Newsie Square
1991 · Self
Treasure Island
1990 · Jim Hawkins
Henry V
1989 · Robin the Luggage-Boy
The China Odyssey: Empire of the Sun
1987 · Self
Empire of the Sun
1987 · Jim
Mio in the Land of Faraway
1987 · Jum-Jum / Benke
Citizen Steve
1987 · Self - Actor
Best of Enemies
· Gennady Vasilenko
Heat 2
· Vincent Hanna
TV shows (12)
Making of "The Flowers of War"
2011
Gotham Tonight
2008 · Bruce Wayne
The Early Show
1999 · Self
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
1999 · Self - Guest
E! True Hollywood Story
1996 · Self (archive footage)
GMTV
1993 · Self
HBO First Look
1992 · Self
MTV Movie & TV Awards
1992 · Self / Presenter
Heart of the Country
1987 · Ben Harris
Anastasia - The Mystery of Anna
1986 · Tsarevich Alexei
Wogan
1982 · Self
Entertainment Tonight
1981 · Self