Bale at the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival
Born Christian Charles Philip Bale
30 January 1974 (age 47)
Haverfordwest, Wales
Citizenship
BritishAmerican[1]
Occupation Actor
Years active 1982–present
Works
Full list
Spouse(s) Sibi Blažić (m. 2000)
Children 2
Parent(s)
David Bale (father)
Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and intensive method acting,[2]he is the recipient of many awards, including an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, and was featured on the Time 100 list of 2011. Born in Haverfordwest, Wales to English parents, Bale had his first starring role at age 13 in Steven Spielberg's war film Empire of the Sun (1987). Following a decade of leading and supporting roles, including in Little Women (1994) and Pocahontas (1995), he gained wider recognition for portraying serial killer Patrick Bateman in American Psycho (2000). Balelost 4 stone 7 pounds (29 kg; 63 lb) for his role in the psychological thriller The Machinist (2004), and within six months, gained 7 stone 2 pounds (45 kg; 100 lb) to star as Batman in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins (2005), a role he reprised in the film's sequels The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Balecontinued in starring roles, including in Nolan's period drama The Prestige (2006), the western 3:10 to Yuma (2007), the science fiction film Terminator Salvation (2009), and the crime drama Public Enemies (2009). For his portrayal of Dicky Eklund in the David O. Russell-directed biographical film The Fighter (2010), Bale won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Thisacclaim continued with his Academy Award-nominated roles in Russell's black comedy American Hustle (2013) and in Adam McKay's satires The Big Short (2015) and Vice (2018); for portraying Dick Cheney in the latter, Bale won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. He starred as race car driver Ken Miles in James Mangold's Ford v Ferrari (2019), and is set to appear as Gorr the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). Bale is a supporter of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Greenpeace, and the World Wildlife Fund, and obtained American citizenship in 2014. Bale has been married to Sandra Blažić since 2000; they have two children.