One of the things Christian Bale is known for is his dedication to work. It remains the debate of the century whether he is a method actor or not, but regardless, his approach to fully embodying roles would sometimes make his castmates feel scared.
Interestingly, Bale admitted one female co-star overwhelmed him. The former Batman claimed that he was left feeling “bloody intimidated” by her presence on a movie set.
Christian Bale And Natalie Portman Felt Uncomfortable Working With Each Other
During his interview with Access Hollywood, actor Christian Bale responded to the host’s query on what he thinks about Natalie Portman feeling nervous around him after they starred in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder.
“You know what? Right back at her. She was buff and every time I had any scene with her, she was angry, and she was focused, and she had a hell of a presence, and I was bloody intimidated by her.”
Bale usually puts on a serious face especially when he’s at work, but he assured fans that he enjoys every minute of his job:
“I don’t always look like I’m having fun, but believe me, I’m having the best time of my life. I’m so bloody grateful to get to do what I do, and therefore, I like to really do it.”
This was not the first time Bale and Portman worked together. They starred in 2015’s Knight of Cups, and even then, there was already a feeling of tension. The actress told People that sometimes her interactions with him were frightening.
“Christian would do surprising things all the time. It’s fun to watch – and sometimes scary, like when he’s like diving off a dock into the ocean when you don’t expect it in the middle of a scene. But he also keeps everything feeling very alive and spontaneous. It was really a fun, unusual experience.”
In her interview with Total Film via Business Insider, Portman revealed she got scared again of Bale whenever he’s got his makeup and prosthetics on in Thor 4.
“It was terrifying whenever he was in character. The children would run screaming. He has a very, very, very scary look, in addition to, of course, his excellent acting. But, on this one, in between, he’d be like, ‘Hey, what’s up?’ It was just a normal conversation, which was jarring because he looked terrifying.”
Whether Bale was in character or not, the actor really does come off as reserved at times, though it’s not a mystery that he’s quite the perfectionist type of person.
Natalie Portman Also Intimidated Chris Hemsworth With Her Buff Physique
Christian Bale is not the only Marvel co-star who felt intimidated by Natalie Portman’s Mighty Thor transformation. Chris Hemsworth said to Variety upon seeing the actress get buff:
“Intimidating. A little stab to the ego, but I quickly got over it, and I was in awe of everything she had done on and off the screen. I’m such a fan.”
Portman’s portrayal of Mighty Thor required her to undergo intense training and diet regimen, something she did not have to do when she first joined Marvel as the brilliant astrophysicist Jane Foster. Still, her intelligence – both in reality and in character – is enough to make someone feel a bit terrified of her.
