AUDIO: Christian Bale Being Prick To DP

COMMENTS (585)

• I’m surprised there aren’t more of these types of audio and video samples of stars behaving unprofessionally floating around. It’s good people like you post this stuff Nikki. No one should be spoken to like that. I don’t care the reason. And stars should be accountable to their public when they treat their co-workers abusively.

  Comment by keven with an "e" — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:14pm PST  Reply to this post

• He’s not saying “Bryce,” he’s saying “Bruce.” The first assistant director was Bruce Franklin and various other Bruces worked on the crew.

  Between this and the incident with his family it sounds like he has some serious anger issues.

  Comment by Mike — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:16pm PST  Reply to this post

• Sounds to me like the DP was an idiot. This may sound like Christian is being an asshole, but honestly, were we there for 20-30 minute lead up? Could it have been 3am after a 14 hour day and he had the scene rendered useless several times by this guy before blowing his top? Maybe the guy was told not to walk in the shot, semi-politely several times before this. He does say it kept happening. I don’t think people go off like this over someone getting in the shot once. Bottom line…where you there to see the whole thing and understand exactly why he went off so badly? No.

  Comment by joe — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:16pm PST  Reply to this post

• I actually think Bale was in the right here. The shot should NOT start rolling if the lights aren’t ready.

  Comment by PostGirl — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:20pm PST  Reply to this post

• his type of behavior can be a bellwether of family abuse…

  Comment by ms — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:21pm PST  Reply to this post

• Classy.

  Comment by Sigh — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:27pm PST  Reply to this post

• That’s pretty hardcore when you’re being paid millions of dollars to do a film. Sounds like rage-o-clock. Still, if the DP was amateur, he should’ve been fired.

  Comment by michael dobrofsky — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:32pm PST  Reply to this post

• Sounds like you’ve found SAG’s new negotiator.

  Comment by WrteStufLA — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:45pm PST  Reply to this post

• TALK ABOUT UNPROFESSIONAL. Any director worth their salt would stand up to that kind of behavior.

  Comment by Bob — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:53pm PST  Reply to this post

• I don’t care what was said. This was a private work incident. We do not know the emotional content of the scene. People work in different ways and this was not meant for public consumption. That is why most sets are closed. I am not saying it is OK to talk to Anyone in that manner. I am saying we were not there and it is not our business.

  Comment by #44 — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:53pm PST  Reply to this post

• Strange, you would think his use of the ‘f word’ so many times might have given him pause. Or paws.

  Comment by savvydude — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:53pm PST  Reply to this post

• Christian,

  Remember a few weeks ago at your citizenship ceremony, when you got that special place next to all those decorated Soldiers and Marines. Remember how they all shook your hand and looked up to you? Well, after hearing this, mark my words none of them want to shake your hand and America is not happy to have you.
  Go back to England and slap your mother and sister around!

  Disappointed.

  Comment by disappointed — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:54pm PST  Reply to this post

• Whoa.

  Comment by shawn — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:55pm PST  Reply to this post

• Yes it is from the new Terminator. TMZ has more deets about the audio clip.

  It seems this clip was sent to the insurance company that handled the movie since Christian was threating to quit. Thanks to the insurance flunky who released it.

  This was also right before Hissy Chrissy went ape shit on his mom & sister.

  Also, notice how Christian goes in and out on accents. I heard american, london & cockney accents.

  McG was a tool for not putting christian in his place. Weak director if you ask me.

  Comment by Jen — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:56pm PST  Reply to this post

• Let’s hope Mr. Bale can stay alive in these big dumb studio franchises because I can’t think of any decent director who would want to have anything to do with this talented schmuck after listening to this. Such a shame that a young man like Bale take for granted all the gifts he has been given. He should leave his personal demons at home with his family and not take it out on those who bust their asses for a living.

  Comment by Geoff M. Bolls — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:57pm PST  Reply to this post

• Wow. What a monster. Wouldn’t you want someone who cares about the lighting on your set? I mean, yikes. I’m glad he didn’t get nominated for Batman now. This guy is OUT OF CONTROL.

  Comment by David — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 6:58pm PST  Reply to this post

• That was awesome. Now, if only Bale would do that while wearing the Bat-suit, that would truly be quite a movie.

  Comment by The Ghost of Garry Moore — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 7:00pm PST  Reply to this post

• WOW. I’d like to see how his agents are gona try to bury this.

  Comment by editor — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 7:11pm PST  Reply to this post

• Whether he was in the right or not, you just don’t talk to people that way. How disappointing.

  Comment by Trama — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 7:13pm PST  Reply to this post

• This makes the claims by his mother and sister a bit more believable.

  I am not an actor but I understand the “emotional” nature of performers and everyone has a temper from time to time. But I’ll be damned if someone talked to me like that and I just stood there and took it. Was this DP that afraid of industry retaliation that he took a verbal beating from another grown man? Is that how spineless these LA men are?

  Also, if a beautiful actress like ScarJo had done this I doubt everyone would be giving her a pass.

  Comment by Blackout — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 7:19pm PST  Reply to this post

• What a total prick. Shane is a very talented cinematographer, and there is no reason to treat another professional in this manner. I fault the 1st AD for not getting control of this, and the producers for sitting quietly in thier chairs, snuggled around the monitor. Pussies. Funny, the people that make the most in this industry either have the smallest balls, or are the biggest dicks.

  Comment by dpthatsseenitall — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 7:21pm PST  Reply to this post

• There is no excuse for the length of time that this rant went on. This kind of behavior is so accepted that you can hear Bale luxuriating in the fact that he knows he can go on forever. He knows nobody will stop him and his winding himself up. The DP may have done something unprofessional and needed to be called on it, maybe even yelled at. Fired, not so sure. The flare up and cool down is indicative of a classic childish Hollywood prick plain and simple. And I don’t buy that genius has to rage. F that. Bale’s behavior was the more unprofessional because it will never change. The DP got two messages. One. Don’t walk through a scene. Two. Christian Bale is not to be envied after all.

  Comment by Carmen — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 7:23pm PST  Reply to this post

• I love how McG stands up for his DP to this child. What a puss. And the fact that there are people excusing this behavior on this board says it all about this biz.

  Comment by raul — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 7:26pm PST  Reply to this post

• Note to the D.P.:

  While the camera is rolling sit with the director behind the monitor.

  Do your lighting adjustments between takes. Or tell the actor your going to have to cut. Don’t walk on set and inturupt the actor, while the actor is in the middle of an intense scene.

  You’d think at that level, the D.P. would know the rules.

  Comment by Joe Brown — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 7:27pm PST  Reply to this post

• why do you post this. you cant possibly know what led up to this.

  Comment by ted — Monday February 2, 2009 @ 7:29pm PST  Reply to this post