Christian Bale

The 10th Anniversary issue of "Entertainment Weekly" crowned Christian Bale as one of the "Top 8 Most Powerful Cult Figures" of the past decade, citing his incredible and legendary cult status on the Internet. EW also calls Bale one of the "Most Creative People in Entertainment" after his brilliant turn as the psychopathic yuppie serial killer in American Psycho (2000). And "Premiere" lauded him as one of the "Hottest Leading Men Under 30". Christian Bale has garnered a huge international audience ever since he wowed critics with his devastating performance in Steven Spielberg's WWII epic Empire of the Sun (1987).

Bale made his professional debut opposite British comedian Rowan Atkinson on the London West End stage. He auditioned with 4000 other kids for the coveted role of James Graham in Spielberg's Empire of the Sun (1987). Bale received a special citation for Best Performance by a Juvenile Actor from the National Board of Review -- an award specially created for his performance in "Empire". In the following decade, Welsh-born Bale has appeared in Shakespeare, dramas and comedies demonstrating a versatility, depth and range that has made him one of the best reviewed actors today and one of the most popular actors on the Internet. Bale is the youngest in a family of 3 older sisters (Erin, Sharon, and Louise Bale).

Hand-picked by director/writer Mary Harron and author Bret Easton Ellis to star in American Psycho (2000). Consequently, was noted by the media as the first star of American Psycho (2000), only to lose the part to Leonardo DiCaprio and then win it back again.

Is an excellent horseman and an avid reader.

He trained for 10 weeks in dancing and martial arts for the dance sequences in Newsies (1992) and Swing Kids (1993).

He has an uncanny ear for accents - he has used a different accent for each of his films to date.

Bale was handpicked by Winona Ryder for the coveted role of Laurie (Theodore Laurence) in Little Women (1994).

His father, David Bale, married feminist icon Gloria Steinem on September 3, 2000.

A devoted animal lover, Christian has two dogs [Mojo and Ramone] and three cats [Miriam, Molly, and Lilly], which are all strays that he found.

Christian is active in many organizations, including Ark Trust, Greenpeace, the World Wildlife Foundation, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, the Redwings Sanctuary, and the Happy Child Mission, and a school for street kids in Rio De Janeiro.

His grandfather doubled for John Wayne in two movies, in Africa.

His first on-screen role was in 1983 at age 9 in a British commercial for Pac-Man cereal.

He replaced Leonardo DiCaprio for the film American Psycho (2000).

Stepson of feminist author Gloria Steinem

His father, David Bale, died on 30 December 2003, from brain lymphoma at the age of 62.

He was raised in England, Portugal and California.

His great-uncle, Rex Bale, was an actor.

His father was a former commercial pilot.

His mother was a former circus dancer.

He has three sisters: musician Erin Bale; computer professional Sharon Bale; and director/actress Louise Bale, who appeared in Newsies (1992).

His grandfather was a stand-up comic and children's entertainer.

Met his wife through Winona Ryder; she was Ryder's personal assistant.

With Batman Begins (2005), he has become the seventh actor to play Batman/Bruce Wayne in a live-action film.

Dropped an amazing 63 pounds for his role as the emaciated insomniac Trevor Reznik in the film Maquinista, El (2004) with only a single vitamin consultation with a nutritionist to guide him. For the most part, he only ate salads and apples, chewed gum, smoked cigarettes, and drank nonfat lattes.

Considered getting formal acting training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) when he was twenty, but decided to focus on working instead.

Has been in 2 versions of the John Smith/Pocahontas story. He provides the voice of Thomas in Pocahontas (1995) and plays John Rolfe in The New World (2005).

Turned down the opportunity to reprise the role of Patrick Bateman in the Roger Avary-directed The Rules of Attraction (2002).

His wife, Sibi Blazic, gave birth to the couple's first child, a girl. The baby was born 27 March, 2005 in Santa Monica, California.

In the "Fresh Air with Terry Gross" radio interview first aired June 13, 2005, he admitted to Gross that because Batman is "such an American icon", he had decided not to perform his promotional interviews for the movie Batman Begins (2005) in his natural mixed Welsh/British accent. He instead spoke to Gross in an almost-inflection less mid-American accent, only revealing his dialectic roots with a few words.

Has 3 older sisters: Erin, Sharon & Louise Bale'

Two of his most famous character's names have a difference of only one letter. Bateman and Batman.

Since a young age he was very ambitious about attending Drama School, and auditioned for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), and the Central School of Speech And Drama at the age of twenty. He was accepted to all, but was convinced by his parents to continue working instead. To this day, he regrets not attending drama school for his personal passion of learning his craft.

Auditioned for the role of Robin/Dick Grayson in Batman Forever (1995). About ten years later, he was cast as Batman/Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins (2005).

The nameplate on his trailer for Batman Begins (2005) read "Bruce Wayne" as opposed to Bale's name.

First non-American actor to portray Batman/Bruce Wayne.

Is the youngest actor to portray Batman.

Owned a home he shared with his sister, Louise Bale, in Manhattan Beach.

Before he played "Batman" in Batman Begins (2005), his sister Louise Bale played Batman's mother in The Death of Batman (2003).

Auditioned for the role of Jack Dawson in Titanic (1997) and almost got the role but people felt that it wouldn't be "fair" having two Brits playing two Americans (Rose was American as well, she says in the movie that the Titanic was a slave ship bring her back to America).

Considered for the role of Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003).

Is a distant relative to the 19th-Century thespian Lily Langtry.

Shares the role of Batman with Val Kilmer. It could be argued that they have also played a father and son, since Kilmer provided the voice of God in The Prince of Egypt (1998), and Bale played Jesus in Mary, Mother of Jesus (1999) (TV).

Since reading "Charlotte's Web", he does not eat red meat.

If he plays an American character, he will use an American accent in all the interviews related to the film. He says he does this so the audience isn't confused.

Daughter Emmaline, born 27 March 2005.