When everyone’s favorite curmudgeon, Christian Bale, isn’t chewing out set members or losing ridiculous amounts of weight, he just like us; unable to get to a promotional interview on time and mistaking his co-workers for exotic dancers. Christian, who stars in the new Terrence Malick film, Knight of Cups, told the Evening Standard that while filming, he thought his co-star, Teresa Palmer, was an actual stripper:
“We were filming in a strip club, and Teresa Palmer’s there in her little silver hotpants and I’m asking her how long she’d been dancing for? Does she enjoy it? What got her into it? I had no idea that she was an actress until about a week after working with her. Suddenly I saw a billboard with her face on it and I went ‘What?'”
A week after meeting her? Teresa is a pretty, blonde, blue-eyed actress; I get that that description doesn’t exactly set her a part in Hollywood but you know, maybe an introduction? If you have time to chat up a stripper while she’s dancing, you probably had time to shake her hand and say, “I’m Chrispy Bale, I like to take myself too seriously and long, relaxing bubble baths – how about you?” Chrispy is putting the blame on Malick and his kooky directing style, saying he never got a script for King of Cups, he just walked on set and Malick told him to, “figure it out.” I can certainly see why these guys get the big bucks: “You – that one, the guy with the thing on his head – walk somewhere and do something.” However, Malick’s “method” lent itself well to the overall WTF feeling the movie has, apparently.
I cannot wait to hear Teresa’s side of this. Is this interview the first she is hearing that American Freaking Psycho didn’t know who she was? Is that sound I just heard her beautiful bubble being popped under the heel of Chrispy’s ignorance? Teresa may not have the longest resume in Hollywood but she does have a few titles to her name, including Warm Bodies and the upcoming Point Break. I assume the chance to work with Christian Bale was fairly exciting for her and her writer/director husband Mark Webber; can you imagine her side of the story that night? “Oh honey, I really think Christian Bale liked my work! Everything you hear about him is true, he is so method; he acted like I was a real stripper the whole time.”
The only statement Teresa should put out in response is, “Oh my god – that was Christian Bale?!” Somebody get me her publicist.
photo credit: WENN.com, FameFlynet and Getty Images
I don’t think this is insulting at all, it’s actually flattering! She apparently immersed herself in the role and seemed authentic – high praise from M. Method himself.
This is how I read it too.
If Mr. Method cannot tell you are an actress while playing a role, that’s something to be really proud of.
she actually has offered her side of the story. She said yesterday that she thought He was doing his usual method stuff, as an acting excersize of sorts, and she went along with it. I agree that Christian mistaking her for a stripper is a compliment, she really did outmethod him!
That’s how I took it as well. Esp since she doesn’t stand out in general so I couldn’t pick her out of a lineup
Before I even read the story, I figured that that was how the story was going to go — that she was so good at the part, he confused her for being that actual character. If he had actually been rude enough to dismiss her as a person, I don’t think he would have mentioned the story.
She always reminded me of Kristen Stewart; especially when her hair was lighter. Something similar in the facial features and eyes.
It is a compliment really; that she was so convincing.
Yes! In the one picture above, she could be Kristen’s sister!
Maybe she comes from a different dimension where Kristen smiles.
Kristen, Riley Keough and Teresa look extremely related. When I was watching Warm Bodies I couldn’t get over the resemblance.
This ! I was looking for where I already saw her
Awkward. And I’ve just seen a picture of her with blonde hair and man, she really should stick with ginger/light brown.
I’ve never even heard of her.
Christian can mistake me for a stripper any day of the week. Good lord that man…
I never heard of this actress either. I’m sure there are plenty of people who have no clue. And she hasn’t done that much for her to get recognition by a larger audience. Plenty of actors out there whose resume is way bigger than this lady and people are like who…?
No harm here in my opinion.
I know her as the girl who looks like K-Stew that Scott Speedman dated.
Based on the Christian’s questions Teresa didn’t correct him. If he asked how long she was dancing, the response would have been that she’s an actor. Besides it’s not unusual to higher real strippers or real occupants for movies. I know he has a bad reputation but it seems that the criticism isn’t fair.
Methinks she just decided to roll with it, envisioning his face when he did finally figure out that she was an actress. If she wasn’t pranking him then she would have said while he was asking her all those questions, ‘Hi I’m Teresa. I’m acting actually.’
Was it really a week later though or is he just employing hyperbole for the sake of a story? You know like they all do.
I think he’s probably being hyperbolic about how long it was…most actors are pretty hyperbolic in their interviews.
Since you linked the article about him losing his temper,why dont you also link articles about him calling that 8 year old cancer patient on the phone and talking to him? Which by the way is one of the sweetest convos I have ever heard? Why dont you link the article about him defending Amy Adams when David O’Psycho Russell was screaming at her?
I lose my temper as well at times ,just like everyone but I wouldnt want that on camera and I would not want to be judged by that action for the rest of my life….
He also made a visit to see victims of the Aurora movie theatre shooting.
Agreed. And what about the time he visited Aurora and spent time with the victims without any fanfare? And what about the time he took another kid cancer patient to Disneyland with his whole family?
If one angry action can condemn someone as an jerk for life, then another action of kindness should make him a saint too. It’s only fair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH5y66QMHqI
<3 This video warms my heart every time I watch it.
It kind of bums me out too that he will forever be known for that one loss of temper, and now has “bad reputation” and “difficult” attached to him. I’ve seen numerous other people talk about how wonderful he was to work with, and he does seem to be a caring guy.
Nice of him to take time to talk to a stripper. I don’t think many Hollywood actors would pay attention to one unless they want to bed her.
During Boogie Night’s filming,Julianne Moore refused to talk to the extras who were real porn actresses
Noo, I hope that’s not true. I like Julianne.
It is what Nina Hartley said about Boogie Night .William Macy was the nicest ( she played his wife and they keep the contact),Heather Graham is the one who posed with her at the premiere and Julianne Moore refused to talk her
That’s why I find this story so funny! I get that he didn’t know who she was (I didn’t!) and I also can guess she might have not corrected him. The best part about it is that while thinking she was just a stripper (maybe an extra) it sounds like he was quite polite and friendly! Not every actor would have been. It’s kind of cute!
I know! 🙂 He asked questions that would make you think he really wants to hear your story.
Yeah, I don’t think he comes off badly here at all. He really thought she was a stripper they’d hired, which might put some people off, but no, he’s just chatting politely to her about her “job” as if she was a caterer or animal handler or whatever. Makes him sound rather nice.
Teresa did respond to this on her Instagram:
That time when Christian Bale thinks you’re a stripper for realz…. Christian- “We were filming in a strip club, and Teresa Palmer’s there in her little silver hotpants and I’m asking her how long she’d been dancing for? Does she enjoy it? What got her into it? I had no idea that she was an actress until about a week after working with her. Suddenly I saw a billboard with her face on it and I went ‘What?’” Meanwhile Teresa thinks during this convo ‘oh god Christian Bale must be a method actor and now he’s testing me, quick make up some flashy elaborate backstory about your character, this must be how them Academy Award winning actors do it!’. FAIL. #KnightofCups #TerrenceMalick in US Cinemas March 4th 2016, out in Aus cinemas NOW!!
Teresa made a statement already on her Twitter. It was very funny and good-natured.
I agree that Teresa Palmer ought to put out the word that she didn’t know who Christian Bale was…..kidding! Also, Christian should get lots of points for having Gloria Steinem as a mother-in-law, although I realize that is off-topic.
She was his stepmom, not MIL. His dad David Bale was married to Gloria until his death.
Well she is not well known, it is impossible for actors be aware of who all the actors in the industry are and it would be more relevant for them to know the studio bosses, producers and directors anyway. And she was clearly doing good job as a stripper so I do not know how this was insulting if Malick did not bother to introduce him to other actors.
Am I the only one who has no idea who this actress is? Her name is kind of familiar, but maybe because it’s 2 very common names. And I don’t recognize her face at all.
Anyway, if they weren’t introduced before filming together, I can easily see how someone might not know. Funny that she thought it was a method thing and played along, she seems to have been easy going about it.
She’s been in a few things so far but was quiet a while as she had a baby not long ago, I think?
She was in a great low budget Aussie film called “2.37”
It might be hard to come by, but if you can, WATCH IT!
She was about 16 or 17 at the time and did a pretty great performance 🙂
she should have said……
“Played the role soooo well… Batman thought I was a real stripper” 🙂
Teresa’s like the Hemsworth boys: you can find girls just like her walking down the street in Australia. She got lucky but maybe she’s improved. I saw her in that I Am Number Four; her accent was terrible and she’s average.
I completely disagree with you,she is freaking gorgeous and talented actress ,absolutely not average.
She looks like Amber Heard 😶