Um, I Think I Understand About Christian Bale’s Temper Now
February 2nd, 2009 by Evil Beet
Woah.
I no longer think Christian Bale is hot.
Click here to listen to his loooooong and very frightening rant against what appears to be some manner of lighting tech on the Terminator: Salvation set. (WARNING: The audio starts automatically and contains profanity.)
I don’t care how hard your day has been, or how hard your co-workers are to deal with, there is just no excuse for this kind of an angry rant against someone who isn’t even fighting back. It accomplishes nothing, and Christian should be ashamed of himself. I hope he issues an apology for this and does something about his anger management issues. To be honest, I didn’t even listen to the whole thing. I got through about 30 seconds of it and just felt too mortified for everyone involved to continue.
I think people are more likely to understand why his mom and sister filed that verbal assault complaint with the police last year.
Before you leave a comment, please make sure you've read our Guide to Commenting. It could save you a great deal of embarrassment.
I agree with you completely!! I was horrifed when i first heard it too. I am seriously considering he needs anger management, because who honestly blows up like that for something so small, and yet he STILL continues to harrass the man even when he isn’t saying anything to him. There is nothing impressive about him treating people like that…unfortunately he’s such a celebrity stereotype.
Christian Bale, you have broken my heart you bastard! I thought you were nice, now you are just Mickey Rourke V.2. I gave you the benefit of the doubt with the whole Mother/Sister arguement thing. We will never get past this. It’s over.
word… man is out of his mind. I am so glad I am not married to him!! YIKES!
Wild. If true it burst ny bubble. He was great in The Nachinist and both Batman’s but if this is true I could care less if I ever see rhe dude again…
what a jerkface
Took the words out of my mouth.
You do also have to realize that sometimes actors put in long, crazy hours on set. Sometimes tensions are high, and people just have really bad days.
At least he didn’t hit the guy with a phone.
Ummm… yeah, I put in long crazy hours at my job, too, and I’ve never blown up at another “professional” like this. You know who else put in long hours? Doctors. And they’re actually saving lives. Soldiers, too – talk about tense working enviornments. Someone needs to remind Mr. Bale that he pretends for a living and gets paid WAY too much to do so. Actors are coddled assholes.
You’re right. When put in that context he has no excuse.
Genius. I couldn’t agree more.
Just to reiterate, no matter who you are, no one, *no one* has the right to talk to someone else like that for over 5 minutes! I could maybe understand if Bale just lost his temper for like, 10 seconds max: (”Hey you! Stop walking into the f****** shot!”), but this was unacceptable. Try screaming like that in an office, or any other work environment. And as for the pressure that comes with acting and fame, I’ve got no pity. You know what’s real pressure? Not knowing where your next paycheck is coming from, or if you can pay the rent this month. He should zen out with all his millions. This tantrum was childish, malicious, and reprehensible. I personally can’t wait to hear him grovel, and if I was a studio exec, I would never ever hire him with a temper like that and a lack of respect for his work peers.
You cannot be happy 24/7 on a movie set.
That simply does not exist. He has a right to be mad because the DIRECTOR should have been watching the DOP and what he was doing. How would you feel if some crew member kept fucking things up and you had to repeat a scene several times. You have very unrealistic expectations.
and if you bothered to watch any of Christians films you would understand that he is very dedicated to his work, he knows exactly what he is doing and he will work hard to get a perfect movie, and for you to generalize that he shouldn’t be whining or being ‘mad’ because he gets “lots” of money is really pathetic. He works just as hard as the rest of us, his job at the set was to ACT and not to look after another crew member.
I bet you would feel the same if someone kept fucking things up and you had to do it ALL OVER AGAIN several times.
Ann says:
February 3, 2009 at 1:38 am
You cannot be happy 24/7 on a movie set.
That simply does not exist. He has a right to be mad because the DIRECTOR should have been watching the DOP and what he was doing. How would you feel if some crew member kept fucking things up and you had to repeat a scene several times. You have very unrealistic expectations.
and if you bothered to watch any of Christians films you would understand that he is very dedicated to his work, he knows exactly what he is doing and he will work hard to get a perfect movie, and for you to generalize that he shouldn’t be whining or being ‘mad’ because he gets “lots” of money is really pathetic. He works just as hard as the rest of us, his job at the set was to ACT and not to look after another crew member.
I bet you would feel the same if someone kept fucking things up and you had to do it ALL OVER AGAIN several times.
A response to Ann, easy for you to say comments like yours above but what about if you were the DP guy??? how would you feel being abused in front of everyone?? come over here and i’ll start abusing you for 10mins straight and i’ll guarantee you’ll be feeling like shit.
really?! “if you watched any of his films?” who the fuck are you? he may work hard, but that will never ever give anyone the right to act in that manner. never. i work hard. the person who works three part time jobs works hard. they work for their food or rent. he works for his next mansion. he can afford to calm the fuck down. what, did he miss his massage that day? huh? was it rough for him? too bad. i’m sure the dude he was screaming at is working similar hours, and, oh, thats right, not getting paid nearly as much, nor is he, obviously, getting any appreciation. poor lil’ christian….
The director of photography is a very well respected guy. He was only (apparently) in Christian’s line of sight- distracting him. He didn’t actually ruin the shot. I wasn’t there so that is hearsay.
I do believe Christian was waaaay overreacting.
And on another note, as a daughter of someone in the “biz” and having experienced being on set during tense times and otherwise I can say NOBODY except the director usually looses their cool. Actors who have behaved like fucktards (i.e. Val Kilmer, Michael Keaton) no longer have valuable reputations and their careers go down the tube. Thus being said, I think Christian may have a tough road ahead. Nobody wants to work with a loose cannon.
I was a fan, key word- “was.” I can’t imagine treating a person like that.
same.
He should be embarassed. But my guess is, not.
Yeah, that burst my bubble alright.
I love LOVE that he is screaming and cursing about the lack of professionalism. And the sound on that clip was pristine! Props to the boom operator.
lol
I can’t have sound on right now, but I will say that I don’t think it’s celebrity bad behaviour with him – I think it’s just him and his temper. Anger management does sound like a good idea.
I have to agree with his rant. You cannot have a crew member screwing up a shot (I have a friend who works in production) it costs a lot of money to edit out a mishap as well as film the scene again, and it is also very time consuming especially on the actors part to repeat what he just did AGAIN because someone in the crew was being stupid. It should have been the directors responsibility to snap the DP into shape, and you folks heard that he made a mistake AGAIN on the second take.
Christian is a very hard working actor, if you have seen any of his films you would know he is very dedicated to his work and he wants to do a great job. I have a lot of respect for him, and I hope you readers would have some consideration as well. I would have been equally pissed off if a crew member kept fucking things up and making me repeat a scene all over again.
All right, I’m calling bullshit. Dedication or not, I’m sure the gentleman that is being reprimanded by Bale is just as dedicated to his craft. You treat everybody with respect..,. from a local gardener to the freaking President of the US. If Bale is upset with the preprimandee’s work, then you d it as a professional, not as a thug.
i love Bale’s work and have been a fan since Empire of the Sun, but no more. That’s just disgusting.
All right, I’m calling bullshit. Dedication or not, I’m sure the gentleman that is being reprimanded by Bale is just as dedicated to his craft. You treat everybody with respect..,. from a local gardener to the freaking President of the US. If Bale is upset with the preprimandee’s work, then you do it as a professional, not as a thug.
i love Bale’s work and have been a fan since Empire of the Sun, but no more. That’s just disgusting.
Looks like Ann needs anger management issues as well. I manage 100+ employees, work 16hr days with only a 30min break and have never yelled, abused or threaten them in anyway, if you need to say something to one of your employees then pull him aside in a corner somewhere and start asking them questions.
Looks like Lisa needs to get REAL.
You cannot just go on and assume that he needs to get “help” because he got angry this time and he got “recorded”. I am assuming you think that on every set of every single movie made that everyone working on them was happy 100% of the time. Here is a good example : Lily Tomlins fight with David O Russel.
Christian has a job just like the rest of us and he takes it seriously, and if someone is not doing their job properly and ruins it for other people when they are working at the same time its not fair. Especially if that person makes the same mistake again and makes you repeat what you just did.
He has every right to call the DP out, and call the director out because he wasn’t doing his job which was supervising the DP. Maybe if you listened better instead of making assumptions about what happened you would also know that they “The DP and director” were also immature about the situation.
If you think this is all Christians fault then you are clearly stupid.
Huh, and yet you still seem to have plenty of time for gossip sites…
seriously, ann, maybe you need to work a few hours a day to realize that bitching like that at someone isn’t cool. and since screwing up a shot costs so much time and money, i wanted your professional assessment: does bale have to pay for that? huh? or does he just get his panties in a twist over it? i get it that it could be annoying, but that is not the way to handle shit. its actors like that that don’t get very many offers on scripts because no one wants to fucking work with some piece of shit who thinks their shit don’t smell. fuck him
Congratulations on your no-yelling/abusing/threatening record!
But I do sort of agree with Ann. I mean, it must have been super annoying for Bale. And maybe Bale just doesn’t have the kind of self-control you do? Everyone is different, and we all have our flaws. Yes, this was unacceptable, but do you honestly think he meant all of it?
Obviously, something is a little off with his brain chemistry and this guy just happened to be the one who pushed the big, red “Bale Out” button. Anger management may be in order, but just because he has a temper doesn’t mean everyone has to hate him now.
So you think professional behavior is losing your cool and dropping the F bomb? I find the behavior extremely childish and quite unprofessional
well then take the responsibility of taking the DP guy out off the set easily said than done rather than yelling at him creates alot of tension on the set.
Ann, i think your a total heartless bitch for not putting yourself in other peoples shoes.
One word of advice Ann, instead of abusing the guy how about you quickly grab him and tell him to stay put. Now that wasnt hard was it Ann!
Eh, I still love him. That is, him before Heath Ledger offed himself and Christian forgot to seek help for dealing with the pain. The man is angry at a lot of things, obviously, and that poor lighting tech got in the way.
Most method actors have notorious reputations for being this way. Shaking him out of his super important Terminator character must have been jarring.
We’ll always have Newsies.
I LOVE Newsies. He was so adorable!
Neeewsies<3333
I agree with you on all accounts.
And Newsies is the best.
it is a first for me to be this shocked… Britney’s meltdown, Amy’s drugs & fistfights, Phelps and the pipe etc. – I don’t care nor understand what the fuss is about… BUT THIS!!! This is ABUSE, BULLYING and HARASSMENT. This is the most vile thing I have ever heard in my life.
Ann, do you hold a job in the real world? Do you have to work with other people? Team work has its ups and downs, and there may be arguments but noone has the right to treat any other employee in such an abusive manner.
Also, about the tech guy screwing it up several times, I think you can hear Bale himself say that it is the SECOND time it happened. I do not care if he has to work long hours or about method acting. He is getting paid for his long hours isn’t he??
It makes me angry when people get away with abusive behaviour. If today someone uses a racist/misogynist/homophobic slur they pay for it (celebrities or not) usually, an dthat is good, but same rules should apply to abusive behaviour in general, not only when the abused person is of different race/orientation etc.
I’m just not very impressed by this. Until Bale actually threatens bodily harm — three-fourths of the way in — the audio seriously sounds like my high school theater director shouting at a teenaged cast in 1995. Yeah, I feel bad for the guy being berated, but this diatribe really sounds like any ill-tempered directorial diatribe.
And if the actual movie director were really so nonchalant as to not step in and remind a crew member to not chit-chat on a closed set during filming — during which everyone is supposed to remain stone silent, by the way — it’s pretty understandable that someone would say it, you know, like a director would say it. Shrug.
That is DISGUSTING behaviour!
I’m quite upset by this, I love(D) Christian Bale but…
Jeez lost for words.
Did anyone who got to the end find it slightly amusing when Christian said that they were ‘done with professionally’? Like he’d still like to go out for drinks with him at the end of the day. Incredible.
He seems quite up his own arse.
The guy’s a nut, as evidenced by the audio of his behaviour.
i think it sounds fake.
sometimes he was having a little cough and it sounded like laughin.
There is absolutely no reason to treat people like that. Christian Bale is a spoiled bully. I wished the guy had punched his face in and broken his jaw.
Everyone works hard at their jobs and don’t make million$ to do it. There is no excuse for rudeness. No matter what this guy did, he did apologize and was very humble. Christian just kept on and on with the foul words and acting like a bully.
He needs a dose of reality. Someone should seriously punch his face in and send him to an emergency room afterwards. It’s hard for anyone to understand the viewpoint of a spoiled movie star who treats people like dirt. Shame on Christian Bale. I will never watch one of his movies again. He’s an ass and a bonafide bully.
Because punching people in the face and sending them to the hospital is appropriate behavior…?
Ohhh dearrr….
What the F is wrong with you some people? I don’t care how “long” of day someone’s had it’s no excuse to treat someone so horribly…My dad used to beat the crap out of us and my mom and blame it on us…I’m over Christian. Oh and Anne, since you seem to think this behavior is ok, wonder what kind of relationships you’ve had…btw how old are you bringing up some random fight with Lily Tomlin and David O Russel. You sound like some washed up actor who seems to think they know everything about everything. I’m sorry for being so harsh, but bottom line is this show’s me what little control he has over his own emotions and that is just plain scary. And for people to say that it’s ok to abuse someone like that is just plain heartless.
A family member of mine worked on that movie and he actually blew up a few times at different people. I guess they all just started to brush it off as roid rage from him having to get buffed up for Batman and Terminator, mixed with Ledger’s death.
I blame McG for this. He shouldn’t be allowed to direct an intense movie like Terminator IV. He should stick to directing music videos. Come to think of it, I blame the producers as well. Who in their right mind would hire a music video director to work on a Terminator project?
I don’t condone what Bale did, but the Dir. of Photography is just as much to blame. It’s in the audio that this is the 2nd time. I just read that he has around 20 years in the business and knows not to do this kind of crap. You can hear him say he was checking the lights. Didn’t he do this before they started shooting the scene?
I think this is a case of an actor who needs anger management versus a DP who, for whatever reason, is being passive/aggressive . Once is a mistake. We all make mistakes. Twice, he’s doing it on purpose. The question now is who is why is he doing it.
Oops. Sorry, last sentence should be “The question now is why is he doing it.”
I totally agree. Wouldn’t surprise me if the dp leaked it.
He is completely nuts! He should get his head checked
i kinda think you guys are all a bunch of pussies. “no one has the right to talk to someone like that, etc.” um we all have that right, we just don’t choose to exercise it alot. i myself am more about wondering if he can deliver on his threats or is he in the proverbial poetry of jay-z
“loud as a motor bike but wouldn’t bust a grape in a fruit fight. . .”
i think that going simply on audio is really hard to judge this situation by. we all no that bale is one hell of a committed actor. you can see this with his role in the machinist. no one would shed that many kilos if they werent committed to their role entirely. if u look at it from that perspective, i think you can begin to understand his frustration. his effort that goes into a role is probably something he structures his life on and to have someone screw that up twice in one scene must be frustrating.
though his behavior isnt idea, i no i cant prance around saying i’m above it. i know i’ve let alot of unfocussed and unjustified steam off on the wrong person before. think about the last time you raised your voice to someone who did something completely insensitive to you.
i think people need to get over them selves and just let the man work.
cant wait for the movie to come out :)
and that guy he was yelling at was definitely a puss, i don’t care if it’s christian bale, if someone started yelling at me like that it would end in about 4 seconds with me punching them in the fucking face. even if i got my ass kicked, at least i have some self respect.
oh I would beat him I dont care if he is batman.
he is still sexy though…
when I had temper tantrums as a toddler my mom sprayed cold water in my face. Seems like Mr. Bale deserves the same treatment. Shame on him for being such a wanker!
Haha. I wouldn’t want that job. Sounds like he’d beat the crap out of you with the spray bottle…
I’m with Christian. We don’t know what else this guy has jacked up. He said he’d already done before. I’ve said and done worse, so I can’t really say a lot.
I don’t understand why people are freaking out so much over Bale’s reaction. I have had coaches say a lot worse things and throw chairs at us and the attorney’s I work with say things much worse than that on a regular basis to their paralegals or interns. Hell, even I do. When moron’s interrupt your “art” you need to put them in their place. Being nice is seriously overrated.
I would have argued back. He clearly thinks he’s the best thing in the world.
Two words: Anger. Management.
Jeez.
Class A wanker with a ego problem.
Method acting? Yeah, I don’t think so. This guy’s a rageaholic, plain and simple. He needs to get therapy or quit acting if he can’t deal with the pressures.
this christian bale guy must be having one hell of a life…poor guy, so much pressure!
its okay to have a little breakdown sometimes, sweetheart! Jesus will forgive you. He always does!
and by Jesus I mean Madonna’s boytoy, of course!
I think, considering what I just read, that Christian has held out tremendously well. His acting is enjoyable and I wish he would earn more awards; but I guess Christian wouldn’t want that. Despite his past family life, he hasn’t been in rehab, he hasn’t become a drug addict, he has stayed loyal to Sibi, he didn’t abort his beautiful, little girl. I really think Christian has proven himself a very strong person in every way. I think he deserves more – not bashing him becase he blew up on set. Think bigger and thank Christian for all that he has done. God has really looked after Christian.
So, I think we all should leave Christian Bale alone.
I think, considering what I just read, that Christian has held out tremendously well. His acting is enjoyable and I wish he would earn more awards; but I guess Christian wouldn’t want that. Despite his past family life, he hasn’t been in rehab, he hasn’t become a drug addict, he has stayed loyal to Sibi, he didn’t abort his beautiful, little girl. I really think Christian has proven himself a very strong person in every way. I think he deserves more – not bashing him becase he blew up on set. Think bigger and thank Christian for all that he has done. God has really looked after Christian.
So leave Christian Bale alone! He’s better than Chris Brown.
I TOTALLY agree with Bale who puts his ENTIRE self into a character for his craft and that extends to his audience…not for himself.
When some jerk on a set is anxious for his TEA BREAK and does something stupid, like not pay attention to what is going on, I say BRAVO to Bale for letting him have it. Too many people make too much money in the background jobs and SHOULD bless every cent they get paid for doing sometimes mediocre work. I have personally fired around 40 people who I say in my interviews with candidates, “You do not get TWO CHANCES WITH ME. ONE fuckup and you are OUT. The only consideration I allow is if it were not that person’s doing, but some other bloke who is screwing up and making him look bad. In that case, IF he as been with me for 10 years, he is gone in 10 minutes.
This is a costly business and it is a business. BRAVO BALE.
Okay really? Who cares if he punched someone in the face? So what, he did what most of us would do when we put our heart and soul into our jobs and someone insults us. I totally agree with SENNIT FIELDING on this case. Those people do make alot of money and shouldn’t be doing everything they can instead of slacking.