Christian Bale 'Couldn't Act' With Chris Rock Around In ‘Amsterdam’ & Admits He Avoided The Comedian

Aug 22, 2023 by apost team

Christian Bale, known for his method acting and dedication to his craft, faced an unexpected challenge during the filming of the 2022 movie "Amsterdam." The Oscar-winning actor admitted that he needed to isolate himself from his co-star, Chris Rock, and avoided mingling with him off-camera because the comedian messed up his acting process. 

In an interview with IndieWire, Bale revealed that Rock's antics hindered his ability to fully immerse himself in his character. In the film directed by David O. Russell, Bale played Burt Berendsen, a doctor and war veteran from the 1900s. The storyline revolved around three friends who formed an agreement to safeguard one another amidst World War I but eventually found themselves facing allegations of committing a murder.

The movie also had an ensemble of talented stars like Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Rami Malek, Anya Taylor-Joy, Taylor Swift, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon and Timothy Olyphant. All of them faced an unexpected disruption from Rock's comedic prowess.

Bale described his initial excitement at meeting Rock, a comedian he admires, on the first day of shooting. He recounted how Rock's humor, at the request of the director, caused uncontrollable fits of laughter that started to interfere with his concentration.

To ensure his commitment to his role was not compromised, Bale made a difficult decision. He approached Rock and explained the need to put their friendship on hold for as long as they needed to complete the work on the movie. As much as Bale was a fan of Rock’s work, especially his stand-up materials, he had to establish some distance and be on the movie set as a professional.

“Chris is so bloody funny and I found that I couldn’t act, because I was just becoming Christian laughing at Chris Rock,” Bale said. “So I had to go to him, I went ‘mate, I love talking to you, and we have mutual friends, but I can’t do it anymore."

“Because David didn’t ask me to make this film so he could just watch me giggle,” the actor added. “He wants me to be Burt, and I’m forgetting how to be Burt.'”

This was not the first time Bale had adopted such measures to maintain the authenticity of his performances. The actor revealed that he often isolates himself from co-stars to ensure that he can fully inhabit his characters without distractions. 

True to his craft, Bale wore a glass eyeball in "Amsterdam" because his character had one. He had a lens technician watching over him because prolonged use could permanently damage his eyesight forever. 

"There was a lens technician, Bob, who was great," Bale revealed, per Fandomwire. "He was always looking out for my eye. If we left it in too long, he’d come and look and go, ‘Oh God, we got to take it out,'" 

However, Bale told UNILAD in January 2023 that he doesn't consider himself a method actor like Daniel Day-Lewis because he has never studied any acting process. He doesn’t even know what method acting was. 

"You know, people call me that. And I don't even really know what it is," the actor said. "I just kind of wing it."

Bale added, “Method actors study method acting. I've never studied any acting at all. I just don't want to offend true method actors. I just do whatever I do.”

apost.com

Christian Bale's intense performances make him one of the most convincing actors alive, don't you agree? Do you know a fan of the actor? Then tell them about this story!