TMZ has a audio tape of Christian Bale's insane tirade after the Director of Photography of Terminator Salvation accidentally walked into the star's eye line during a shot. The recording was apparently sent to the film's insurance company in case Bale bailed on the movie mid-production. I don't get why the director didn't step in and try to save his DP — and the crew — from Bale's tirade. Was McG just sitting there and watching? This was a much as insult to the director's control as it was a humiliation for the poor DP.
The sad truth is that Bale is so successful that he can get away with this repugnant, unprofessional behavior like this — nobody wants to offend a guy who makes the studios this much money, no matter how offensive he might be. I've worked with a couple of actors like that — but they weren't big enough stars to get away with it and didn't. It's not pleasant.
Second time is a charm, I guess.
TMZ tried to make news out of this back in July: http://www.tmz.com/2008/07/22/christian-went-bale-istic-on-t4-set/
It’s puzzling why the media pretty much ignored it the first time around, but now it’s everywhere.
I think TMZ didn’t have the audio tape before…now they do.
Lee
I thought the same thing when I heard of this over the summer–but back then it was just a rumor. Where was his director? His camera man is getting shit-fed in front of the entire crew, and he’s letting it happen? So what’s going to happen when HE pisses off Bale?
Is Bale actually that big a star? I think of him as a serviceable actor who can hold his place as the leading-man component in a big, big movie, but those movies would work just the same with a different actor. He’s like a luckier Thomas Jane. And he’s abusing his luck.
So what’s going to happen when HE pisses off Bale?
We’ll probably have to wait until the next “Terminator” sequel is made, for that, as this new one is finished filming.
Sadly, this happens all the time, both in The Biz and outside of it. People are on such short fuses these days, explosions are never very far away. There is absolutely NO excuse for Bale’s behavior. None. People act this way because they CAN, or think they can.
It would be a real good idea for Bale to apologize, publicly and quickly. There’s absolutely no excuse for that. I wonder what would have happened had the DP (or anyone) reached out and smacked Bale like the spoiled little brat he is?
Though my mom is a once well-known actress and has attended a few of those autograph shows, it will be with some delight (hopefully in my lifetime) when I am able to encounter folks like Bale, David Schwimmer, and other scumbags eeking out a living selling autographs at $5 a pop.
On the one I listened to (linked at my blog) Bale actually asks if McG has anything to say about it … McG says, “Hey, I didn’t see it” and completely wimps out … It’s his fault, really, he should control his set.
Sounded like Bale was frustrated with a lot of things and this was the tipping point (he even says to the DP, “you’re a nice guy but” and then screams) …
But still, it was pretty nasty.
McG is very young in the head, according to those that work on CHUCK.
You’re right it reflects on him as much as anyone else.
Gee, I miss Jimmy Stewart.
Wait a minute… You mean a guy who goes by the name “McG” doesn’t behave like a professional? I’m stunned.
The DP’s lucky he’s not a woman — he’d have gotten bitch slapped like Bale’s sister did.
I looked Christian Bale up on Wikipedia and found a link to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTihsJQHt48
Christian Bale should’ve just remained the skinny, sweet, and soulful guy he used to be. He used to be so frikkin hot! Now he’s like a cross between some thick neck in “300” and that demonic Huckabees director. What a frikkin shame! And with Joaquin Phoenix retired now too I am fast running out of men to crush on in movies. Seems like if they aren’t assholes they’re scientologists. WTF.
Seriously people don’t do drugs. I mean, he better be on steroids. Otherwise…oh my God. That’s an even scarier prospect. I prefer to believe he can go back to being his old sweet, hot self. Therapy and rehab should do the trick.
Bale lost it, but sets can be tense. I once had to watch David Caruso make a compleat ass of himself, forgetting lines and F-bombing the whole crew and he didn’t have a legitimate reason such as Bale did.
If it was easy every moron would be alead actor. It isn’t. After working with numerous crew, directorial and otherwise, blatant rudeness is the order of the day. Hours are long, tempers get lost. Normal. But hey, American Psycho?
It angers me how completely helpless the DP was. Nobody came to his defense. I can’t imagine how humiliated he was.
I was once mercessly screamed at by David Fincher (Director) when I was a P.A. on Madonna’s “Express Yourself” video. Another P.A. and I were temporarily pressed into service as the “elevator doors” and when we could not meet them in the center just perfectly he went “ape-sh*t” – but a DP and others came to our aid “David, c’mon, they’re just P.A.’s” – made a bad situation tolerable. Apparantly things have gotten worse.
The best part of this is that Bale continually accuses the guy of being unprofessional.