An actor should never be larger than the film he’s in. — Christian Bale

After the modest success of my first film, I found it very daunting to have to live with that kind of burden of expectations. — Christian Bale

When it comes to films, people often don’t differentiate between the message of a bad central character and the message of the film itself. They are two separate things. — Christian Bale

Batman’ took 10 months to film, and by the time I stopped working on it, it took a long time before my English accent came out again. I was actually having to try for it. — Christian Bale

I’m not really into musicals. — Christian Bale

Being misunderstood is not a bad thing as an actor. I know the truth. — Christian Bale

I think there’s a limited amount of planning you can do, at least in the position I’m in. Maybe more successful actors can plan more than I’m able to. — Christian Bale

It’s the actors who are prepared to make fools of themselves who are usually the ones who come to mean something to the audience. — Christian Bale

I’m an actor I’m not a politician. I always kick myself when I talk too much about family, or personal things. — Christian Bale

Nuclear apocalypse–who do you need? Actors are probably not top of the list. What can I do for you? I can pretend to be somebody who can grow you some nice crops. — Christian Bale

A lot of actors say that theater’s the thing for them. And that’s great, and I’m not one to speak with any authority about it because of not having done it properly. For me, movies are what I love. — Christian Bale

Art is something to be proud of. Art is no compromise. As an actor, you’re giving it up, you’re at the mercy of so many other people. — Christian Bale

There’s a level of confidence in the actor you’re working with that really helps a lot. It makes all the difference. — Christian Bale

Well, it’s embarrassing to be a star. — Christian Bale

For me, I think the harder the shoot, the more I feel like I’m enjoying myself. — Christian Bale

I never want to feel that I’m playing it safe. — Christian Bale

As an actor, I don’t feel like it’s necessary to watch a great deal of films. In fact, I think it can lead to imitation and unhealthy competition, which just isn’t needed. — Christian Bale

A teenager usually wants to try to get people to notice him in some way, to feel like someone gives a damn. Me, all that attention, I just wanted to fade into the background. Be invisible. Disappear. — Christian Bale

I’ve had some painful experiences in my life, but I feel like I’m trivializing them by using them for a scene in a movie. I don’t want to do that. It just makes me feel kind of dirty for having done that. — Christian Bale

The interesting thing about a movie is the movie. — Christian Bale

What I like about it is that I’m not somebody who’s in movies. I’m a guy who’s not very good going around the track with a bunch of guys who are a hell of a lot better. — Christian Bale

I always want to confuse people in terms of any kind of image and be unpredictable in any kind of movie I make. — Christian Bale

And being as I’m somebody who loves movies like The Machinist, I also love going along to big mass entertainment movies. I get in the mood for all kinds of movies, and so I like to try each of them. — Christian Bale

I like the idea of movies having a magic element. How many times have you seen an actor in a movie who you know only as the character? It’s wonderful, isn’t it? — Christian Bale

How serious can a movie about time–traveling robots be? You want it to be cool and fun. — Christian Bale

All I’ve ever ended up with in terms of achievements is the movie, some really stupid anecdotes, a bunch of crosswords that I didn’t finish and maybe some old bicycle that I found lying around on set. — Christian Bale

I think mostly it’s the adventure that I will have in making the movie. That’s what I look for. — Christian Bale

I want to do good work. I want the opportunity to work with good people, and the only way I’m gonna do that is to commit 110%–you get out what you put in. — Christian Bale

Directors go their whole career without being able to tell personal stories and to work with a cast as talented as they are. — Christian Bale

If you’re smart you’re just gonna be all about the work. But as a young person, you want to going out to clubs and doing all the stuff. I’m just glad I survived it. — Christian Bale

I feel like I’m pretty good but I don’t like to toot my own horn, you know. I want to let the work speak for itself and kind of move on to the next thing. — Christian Bale

It’s about pursuing it rather than waiting to see what comes along. — Christian Bale

I think it’s important when you’re acting to be as relaxed as possible even if you’re doing something intense. You’re basically in a state of dynamic relaxation. — Christian Bale

I become a bit of a blank page in public. And that’s precisely why I like acting. — Christian Bale

I never applied to any acting schools. I don’t know if that’s just bad reporting, or–sometimes I just make stuff up. — Christian Bale

It’s got to do with putting yourself in other people’s shoes and seeing how far you can come to truly understand them. I like the empathy that comes from acting. — Christian Bale

I start from scratch with each movie; I wipe the slate and I certainly don’t rely on some bag of acting tricks I’ve amassed over the years. — Christian Bale

I find what I do for a living really funny. I mean, acting is kind of a hilarious thing for a grown man to call a job. — Christian Bale