Christian Bale, known for his incredible commitment to his craft, has earned a reputation for jaw-dropping body transformations throughout his illustrious career. From skeletal figures to chiseled superheroes, Bale’s dedication to his roles has made him a standout figure in Hollywood.
But even he thinks that one Oscar-winning actor is better than him at body transformation. In an interview with The Wrap, The Machinist actor acknowledged that Robert De Niro does this better.
Christian Bale Thinks Robert De Niro Does Better Body Transformation
Christian Bale is one of the most dedicated actors working in the industry. And his body transformations for movies are legendary. He has gained and lost weight, bulked up and slimmed down, all in the name of his art.
However, Christian Bale claimed that Robert De Niro is better at body transformations than he is. Bale is known for his own dramatic weight changes for roles, but he said that De Niro is in a league of his own.
Bale’s candid admission about Robert De Niro’s body transformations came during an interview with The Wrap. While talking about physical transformation, Bale admitted, “They go back much further than me. This man right here set the bar,” indicating De Niro.
Robert De Niro’s most celebrated body transformation occurred when he portrayed boxer Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull (1980).
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Robert De Niro’s Iconic Physical Transformation in Ragging Bull
Robert De Niro‘s physical transformation in the 1980 film Raging Bull is one of the most iconic in cinema history. To play the role of Jake LaMotta, a middleweight boxer who became a nightclub owner, De Niro gained 60 lbs.
Raging Bull is a cinematic gem based on the tumultuous life and career of Jake LaMotta, a middleweight boxer. Robert De Niro was chosen to play the central character, and to do justice to the role, he knew that he needed to physically embody LaMotta throughout the different stages of his life.
The actor has revealed this role as the toughest role he’s had to prepare for in his decade-long career. During a roundtable for The Hollywood Reporter, he said:
“I guess Raging Bull. Because of [putting on] the weight and all that.”
Raging Bull is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made, and Robert De Niro’s performance, including his physical transformation, is a significant part of its acclaim.
The role earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor – his second Oscar, following his Best Supporting Actor win for The Godfather Part II.
