Every actor or actress has been in the phase of their careers where they are just starting off in the film industry, and they met either another star or a filmmaker who showed them the path. Christian Bale has been through the same phase in his life, but contrary to others, his experience started when he was young at just 12 years old.
At such a young age, working with the right people in the film industry can prove to be a boon for an actor’s career. Thankfully, Bale’s first film Empire of the Sun allowed him to meet Steven Spielberg, one of the biggest filmmakers of all time. Seeing how the star has progressed in his career after working with him, the director feels nothing but the utmost pride for him.
Steven Spielberg Is Proud of What Christian Bale Has Accomplished In His Career
Starting off as a young actor in Hollywood can be a very daunting experience for young minds to take in, which often may not end well for them. Thankfully, Christian Bale was able to stabilize himself in the film industry at an early age despite being cast as the lead star at the age of 12 in 1987’s Empire of the Sun.
Ensuring that he took the right path in his career as well as his life was none other than legendary director Steven Spielberg.
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In a past interview (via Female First), the Jaws director opened up about how his collaboration with Bale in their aforementioned film proved to him that the young actor was going to make it big one day. He revealed that ever since then, he has taken great pride in what he has accomplished in his career, even going on to win an Academy Award. He said:
“I take great pride in young actors who started off doing films with me and have then made careers for themselves. Nothing Christian Bale does has ever failed to impress me. He is fearless and he was fearless when he was 12 years old. I am impressed more and more with each role he takes. But in a quiet place in my own life, I’ll say, ‘That’s my boy.'”
Even back then, when their film was released, everyone who saw The Dark Knight star’s performance was taken aback by just how amazing he was on-screen despite having little training and experience in acting.
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What Was Empire Of The Sun About?
Just like how Martin Scorsese hit the home run by collaborating with Leonardo DiCaprio in Gangs of New York, Spielberg introduced the film industry to Bale with Empire of the Sun.
The film introduces us to Jamie Graham, a young English boy who is living a privileged life in Shanghai. But the circumstances changed when the Japanese invaded China, took all the foreign residents captive, and placed them in camps. Here, away from his parents and stuck with other foreigners of the country, Jamie sticks to his dignified upbringing and becomes a shining light of hope for the rest.
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Empire of the Sun, available on Apple TV.
