Christian Bale, 35, lost a third of his body weight for his role as a troubled industrial worker in 2004’s The Machinist. He dropped 63 pounds on a diet of just coffee, cigarettes and an apple a day. He said of his massive weight loss that it was a goal he was determined to meet. “I wouldn’t have done that amount of weight loss if I hadn’t thought the movie itself was worth seeing. It was kind of a goal that I wanted to achieve and prove to myself I could manage.”
Five years later and Bale looks super skinny again. He was photographed on the set of his film “The Fighter,” a true life tale about a boxer from Massachusetts who ended up addicted to crack cocaine. The film also stars Mark Wahlberg as his younger brother, boxer “Irish” Micky Ward, and Amy Adams:
Christian Bale has been a master of reinvention when it comes to transforming his body for his various roles, but the sight of the gaunt Welsh actor Monday afternoon on set of “The Fighter” raises suspicions as to the nature of his health. Though Bale is playing boxer-turned trainer-turned-drug addict Dickie Eklund in the film, his hollowed features seem extreme for a man who bulked up to play the muscly caped crusader in last year’s Batman. Bale is a notorious method actor and lost a staggering 63 pounds for the film The Machinist only to regain it all back and then some for the first Batman installment. Is his metabolism and ultimately his health being adversely affected by the excessive weight fluctuation?
[From Fame Pictures’ photo description]
Bale is clutching an apple in these pictures. Is that all he had to eat that day? The film is set in the early 80s and I love the outfits Bale and Wahlberg are wearing. As grumpy as Wahlberg is, he’s one of my favorite actors and I loved the tough but honest cop he played in The Departed. I’m kind of “meh” on Christian Bale, but he did make Batman watchable again. He’s definitely committed to his craft, you can say that for him.
It’s hard to tell if The Fighter will be a great film or not – it’s directed by David O. Russell (I Heart Huckabees, Three Kings) and written by Paul Attanasio (“Homicide: Life on the Street,” The Good German) and Lewis Colick (Beyond The Sea, Ladder 49). It’s not out until 2011, and Bale will surely be looking back to normal by then.
Thanks to Fame Pictures for these photos
I can understand losing weight to appear more realistic for a role, but that is just straight up stupid way to do it. There’s nothing heroic about it when he drops dead of a heart attack after abusing his body that way. I won’t be impressed thinking of how noble that he suffers for his “craft”. It’s just stupid. He can do it a smarter way than that, it would just take longer.
And, I forgot to add, crazy and uncalled for rants aside, he’s usually the hotness to my eyes. This is yucky.
a crack druggie looks thin so he’s very thin! or he’s depressed!
An apple a day? Hence the rants. Between this and David O. Russell’s epic attitude, this should be an interesting shoot.
He is going to get even uglier the older he gets.
I find him gross and unattractive either way.
His hair looks like it’s hanging on for dear life.
Cr*p. That’s what I thought about his hair too. What a shame.
This must be hell on his body. I’ve always thought he was very attractive, but then I’ve always had a thing for skinny, dark-haired, tall men and he pretty much fills the bill.
He is a method actor (remember his rant was because he was “in the role”). He was amazing in “The Machinist,” so I look forward to what he brings to this role.
wait, that can’t be his real hair can it? i thought they had done something to it to make him look more coked up :/
Can we please not refer to it as manorexic? Anorexia isn’t a disease that afflicts men so rarely that we need to differentiate it from “regular”, female anorexia.
fizXgirl314: Hadn’t thought of that, but I bet you’re right.
He is a method actor and is ‘this close’ to winning an oscar and golden globe. He is a great actor. Remember he is a child actor and has managed to have a career for over 20years. He takes his job very seriously. If he has to look like a crack head then he is gonna look like a crack head. One more thing Christian is half American.The reason why his is a millionaire and a successful actor is b/c when his boss says jump he says HOW HIGH. You ppl who complain about his ‘look’ are just lazy bstrds in real life.
ah haha hah ginger. hilarious post of the day.
I saw the Machinist not long ago and it was dreary and very creepy. I cant say I enjoyed it, but I couldn’t stop watching, Bale’s character was just so SKINNY! I hope he doesnt get that thin again, it was quite unsettling to see.
Bale is one of the best actors of his generation, but I really don’t like it when people play with their weight for a part.
The main thing is the acting and there are wardrobe and special effects professionals for the external look.
Not to mention it’s just very unhealthy.
he doesn’t look very healthy!
he’s very weird as actor or person.
I don’t care for this guy in any condition. I wouldn’t hit it. Ever. Bring me more Robert Pattinson articles. Pattinson–I would hit it.
Mark Wahlberg doesn’t strike me as grumpy. He strikes me as someone who rather steadfastly refuses to smile for paparazzi. I hate the way that gets taken as anything about his actual personality – it’s about his reaction to 10 screaming idiots trying to get a reaction so they can get the ideal shot.
I don’t know why people are so nasty to him. Doesn’t De Niro do *precisely* the same thing? And yet nobody b*tches about De Niro’s health…
Oh wow, not a good look for him. I hope he makes it through this movie then gains a bit back.
I remember when he lost that weight for The Machinist he said he was only eating an apple and a can of tuna a day; so seeing him with the apple makes perfect sense.
That kind of extreme weight-loss can lead to malnourishment, which makes your hair fall out. Hence why a lot of anorexics look wispy up top.
Come on people- The guy is just wearing loose clothing, is stretching is neck out to make it look like his face is more gaunt, and obviously has just cut his hair to look thinned.
I’m 6’2″ 185 lbs, and I look skinnier than he does here. Don’t be fooled by the loose clothing and weird posture. There is no way he is anywhere near being what he was in the machinist, and it is quite possible he hasn’t lost any significant amount of weight from when he did Batman.