Christian Bale is among the many talents of Hollywood to boast a filmography that showcases his awe-inspiring acting proficiency. Not only is he renowned for transforming into his on-screen portrayals, but he’s also competent in embodying their essence and bringing otherwise challenging, complex characters to life. But no two roles are the exact same, and most box office ventures adhere to this rule.
In line with the sentiment, there is one endeavor in the now 50-year-old actor’s resume that he felt frustrated with. And it came a few months after his star-making, breakthrough performance in American Psycho—a transition which accounted for Bale feeling underwhelmed.
After playing the leading role in the Mary Harron-helmed project, whose actions as Patrick Bateman kept the overarching premise moving, he would soon find himself serving as a cog in the machine in the Samuel L. Jackson starrer Shaft (2000).
Christian Bale Felt Somewhat Frustrated With His Shaft Role
Shaft (2000) was a contemporary sequel to the 1971 film of the same name. It featured Pulp Fiction alum Samuel L. Jackson in the titular role. Co-starring in the action crime thriller were Vanessa Williams, Jeffrey Wright, Toni Collette, Busta Rhymes, and, of course, Christian Bale. Having released in the same year as American Psycho, the endeavor marked Bale’s return to supporting roles.
Although only a few months apart in their unveiling to the masses, it seemed like the Batman Begins alum enjoyed being a part of the satirical psychological horror premise more than he did working on Shaft, as his essence was felt throughout the former endeavor; he wasn’t reduced to a role where he was significantly sidelined in contrast to the lead talents.
No role is big or small, but for Bale, who presumably wished to cement his stature as a prominent, mainstream name in Hollywood, it may have felt a bit ‘one-step-forward-two-steps-back.’
And that is why, in comparing the two, the star, who had finally earned a taste of what it felt like to be a leading man, was a little frustrated with Shaft (2000). Following is how he described the experience to EW:
“This [playing Patrick Bateman in American Psycho] is an important role for me. Rather than being just a part in a film—essentially BEING the film, meant an awful lot to me. I’m really enjoying that. Frankly, I found it a little bit frustrating doing ”Shaft” because I’m back to being one part in a very big film.”
In the Samuel L. Jackson actioner, Bale portrayed Walter Wade, Jr. Describing his character to the outlet, he affirmed, “I’m the bad guy, really.” The actor isn’t averse to playing antagonistic roles. In fact, it was precisely his take on the depraved American Psycho character that signaled his industry breakthrough. However, despite delivering a credible performance, his contributions to Shaft have remained vastly overlooked.
Although the endeavor’s box-office returns suggested its commercial success ($107.2 million against a budget of $46 million), the 2000 film was met with mixed reviews, with its Rotten Tomatoes approval rating at an average of 67%. The audience score is even lower, at 41%.
Christian Bale Was Warned Against Pursuing American Psycho
Even though the actor deemed the role of Patrick Bateman significant and held it in higher regard compared to the one in Shaft, not everyone initially thought it was a good step career-wise for Christian Bale.
Joined by director Mary Harron and novelist Bret Easton Ellis (whose 1991 novel inspired the satirical film), the actor sat down for an interview with Charlie Rose (via YouTube). Here, he revealed that he had received phone calls from individuals advising him not to pursue the controversial project. Previously, the graphic, uber-violent elements in the source material caused considerable noise and were opposed by many.
Only someone daring could exhibit the courage to embody Patrick Bateman and his corrupted psyche. And in Bale, the endeavor found its perfect leading man. However, those concerned for the star believed the contentious part would lead to the star’s pigeonholing. Many feared he’d be remembered for only one role and be forced into playing similar characters for the rest of his life, as a failure on the audience’s part to shake off their perception of Bale as the villain.
Christian Bale affirmed:
“I had an awful lot of calls saying it was [going to] be career suicide … People would talk about Anthony Perkins in Psycho and say, you know, once you play a villain like that, you never get to play anything else because you’re stuck in everybody’s imagination as that person.”
Nevertheless, the American Hustle alum remembered not taking these threats too seriously, as he never categorized Bateman as a villain. He believed that with characters like him, you never laugh with them, but at them, and their propensity of finding themselves in ridiculous situations. That’s why the actor could triumph over those initial assumptions.
Today, Christian Bale’s impressive range of performances has rightfully earned him a place in the upper echelons of Hollywood talent. As he continues to challenge himself with new and diverse roles, it’s clear that his reputation as a top-tier, mainstream actor is no longer a dream but a stature he intends to maintain for years.
You can view Shaft (2000) on Amazon Prime Video via buying/renting. Meanwhile, American Psycho (2000) is available for streaming on Peacock.
