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Christian Bale talks Batman
22/07/2008 . Source: Jessica Martin 
SciFi go-to guy Christian Bale sits on the GMTV sofa and talks about acting in The Dark Knight, getting a more comfortable bat suit, and how Heath, in his portrayal of the Joker, has really made this movie. Buy The Dark Knight in the USA - or Buy The Dark Knight in the UK  The British breakfast TV show GMTV sent us their interview with good looking fellow Christian Bale of Batman and (shortly) Terminator fame, and asked us to show it to all the science fiction fans out there on SFcrowsnest - how could we refuse?
Ben Shephard: Christian joins us now from Central London, good morning Christian.
Christian Bale: Good morning.
BS: Great to see you this morning, first of all congratulations – The Dark Knight took a record £77.5million, in its first weekend in the US – I imagine you must be thrilled.
CB: Well it’s Monopoly money to me – I can’t even comprehend it.
BS: It’s quite surreal in a way, obviously the budget for the film was at something around $135million, does that kind of add pressure to you guys or do you put that to the back of your mind, or not worry about it at all?
CB: It never adds pressure to me at all, you know. I never think of it in that way – I always actually approach every movie as though no one’s ever going to see it – so I don’t feel that pressure myself. It’s something more that Chris Nolan, the filmmaker – I have no doubt that he was feeling that pressure.
BS: I imagine he was…. It is an extraordinary film with some extraordinary performances, not least from your co-star the late Heath Ledger. I think one of the real tragedies Christian is that he won’t be able to see how well his performance has been received.
CB: No, absolutely. I mean I’m sure that he felt a great satisfaction from playing it. I saw myself, you know, how much he immersed himself but how much he enjoyed playing that character, so I think he knew that he had done something quite superb and he had taken some satisfaction from that. But of course, yeah, it is a wonderful celebration of how well the movie is doing, but it is tempered by the fact that Heath isn’t here himself. And the fact is that, you know - Chris Nolan, who is half English, has shown himself to be, I think, one of the finest filmmakers around - we’ve got to look forward to a lot of incredible movies coming from him. And Heath, in his portrayal of the Joker, has really made this movie. And I think that the success of it, and all of these box office records that it’s breaking - you know, in spite of the fact of the rest of the wonderful cast - it is really down to Chris Nolan and to Heath.
BS: A lot of Oscar buzz around his performance as well, and I understand having read some interviews, you kind of felt he was a bit of a kindred spirit to you – you sort of had a connection with him as well as a person.
CB: Well in terms of his enjoyment of the work – you know, how much he immersed himself in it, how much pleasure he got from going absolutely into his role. But that having been said, there’s been a lot of talk about, you know, this role having affected him and his mental state, and it’s absolutely untrue. I’ve been speaking with his family and being there – knowing him, becoming friends with him – he enjoyed this character so much and as soon as the makeup was off, he was back to Heath and he was wonderful company. And, you know, clearly anybody who got to know him and who knew him a long time miss him dearly.
BS: Now for you – the second time you’ve got to put on the Batman outfit – were you looking forward to having a second crack at being the man himself?
CB: I was, because I know that with Chris Nolan, he’s not going to bother making a second movie unless we improve upon it. Actually getting back into that suit – I wasn’t looking forward to – but they’ve made great improvements on it. This time it was far more comfortable – far more motion I was able to put myself through – and so it was much more enjoyable than the first time. I didn’t have the migraine that I had through putting the cowl on every time on Batman Begins.
BS: It did look rather restricted – I like the fact you could look from side-to-side in this suit – that’s a nice added bonus.
CB: It’s very nice – it is very helpful.
BS: Aside from Heath, the cast and yourself – the cast is obviously wonderful – there’s a very strong sort of British contingent as well. As you say – the director, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, yourself – you’re really leading the flag for us Brits over there.
CB: Yes, well, you know, but we’re trying to keep that quiet so that the Americans don’t get offended that this very American icon is actually being co-opted by the Brits.
BS: We’re taking over – we like your style. It seems that you have this ability to excel in the roles that you play that involve going through extraordinary physical commitment. Your weight loss in The Machinist and Rescue Dawn are well noted – equally, putting on the weight for a character like Batman – I’d imagine that putting on the weight is more enjoyable than having to lose it.
CB: It is more enjoyable, yes. I like to do those things because I don’t consider that I do a proper job really, and so if I get to really exert myself and go through something like that – weight loss or weight gain – then I kind of prove to myself that I can make an effort and succeed, because otherwise acting doesn’t seem like a proper job to me.
BS: Do you always imagine that at some point you’re going to have to go out and get a proper job?
CB: I hope not.
BS: You were born in Wales – that’s right isn’t it – Haverfordwest? Have you been back there recently?
CB: Not recently. I was back there, I guess, about 10 year ago was the last time I was there. I’m not a true Taffy.
BS: You’re not a true Taffy?
CB: Not really, no. I mean I was just born there, I go back there, I like that people call me that. There’s a great, you know, vintage of Welsh actors – with Richard Burton and Anthony Hopkins etc – but truly, you know, I grew up in England – as you can hear.
BS: I can hear, very much indeed. And I image you’re looking forward to the London Premier tonight?
CB: I am yes.
BS: Are your expectations that it’s going to be huge and big, or do you look forward to nights like this when you’re in the limelight, or would you rather be at home with your wife and your daughter?
CB: I enjoy it. You know, look, I enjoy it when it’s a movie that I like. When it’s something that you don’t like but you’re kind of forced to go along and do it, that’s not so enjoyable. But this one I really like. It’s a filmmaker who I’ve worked with three times now. He truly is one of the finest around now. And so I will be enjoying myself.
BS: Now of course the big question for the women and Kate’s just asked me to ask you Christian is, is the outfit for the premiere – have you got an outfit planned? Will it be Batman themed along the Latex line?
CB: You know, I barely managed to pull together putting on a shirt on for you guys this morning, I have no idea what I’ll be putting on tonight. I’m not a fashion plate.
BS: Well we look forward to seeing you in the papers tomorrow. Kate’s a bit disappointed that you did manage to get the shirt on I have to say. Thank you very much for joining us Christian, it’s great to talk to you about the film and best of luck with it.
CB: Thank you. 
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