Christian Bale is one of the biggest Hollywood actors who has given outstanding performances in movies like Ford v Ferrari and Dark Knight. He has proved time and time again why he is one of the leading stars in the world of acting. To a surprise, many people may not know this but Bale in a way is also a big anime fan, specific to Studio Ghibli films.
Along with being a fan of the films, he has also voiced in films like Howl’s Moving Castle and the recently released The Boy and the Heron. He has been a part of these films because of his love for Studio Ghibli and the director Hayao Miyazaki, who is also the founder of Studio Ghibli.
Bale’s love for Studio Ghibli and its films emerged from another one of their films which had the actor begging for a voice role in one of their future projects. This film was Spirited Away, one of the biggest films ever created by Studio Ghibli.
Christian Bale Fell in Love With Spirited Away
Spirited Away follows the story of ten-year-old Chihiro Ogino, the protagonist of the story who discovers the world of kami while relocating to a new neighborhood. In an attempt to free herself and her parents and return to the human world, Chihiro accepts a job at Yubaba’s bathhouse after the witch transforms them into pigs.
When distributor Toho first released the movie in Japan on July 20, 2001, it was met with widespread praise and ended up making $395.8 million at the global box office. As a result, it broke the record for the most money made in a Japanese film, totaling ¥31.68 billion, and held that position for 19 years.
Spirited Away amassed a huge fan following, and Christian Bale was also one of those fans. Bale is among the numerous individuals who developed a strong affection for Spirited Away following its premiere, so much so that he begged Studio Ghibli for any kind of voice role in their next project. And his wish was fulfilled soon enough.
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Christian Bale’s Work With Studio Ghibli
Bale has worked with Studio Ghibli for two films. The first one was Howl’s Moving Castle and the second one was The Boy and the Heron. In Howl’s Moving Castle, Bale voiced Wizard Howl, one of the main characters who entered Ingary through a magical portal and rose to prominence as one of the most potent wizards. He chooses to live alone and hide from all conflict. He owns a moving castle and, to maintain his privacy, spreads rumors about himself.
In The Boy and the Heron Bale played the role of Shoichi Maki, an air munitions factory owner. He was also one of the main characters of the series and the father of Mahito Maki. Shoichi after his wife’s death married her younger sister Natsuko.
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Source: Thisweeksmovie
