Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. He has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. Forbes magazine ranked him as one of the highest-paid actors in 2014. Born in Wales to English parents, Bale had his breakthrough role at age 13 in Steven Spielberg's 1987 war film Empire of the Sun. After more than a decade of performing in leading and supporting roles in films, he gained wider recognition for his portrayals of serial killer Patrick Bateman in the black comedy American Psycho (2000) and the titular role in the psychological thriller The Machinist (2004). In 2005, he played superhero Batman in Batman Begins and again in The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), garnering acclaim for his performance in the trilogy, which is one of the highest-grossing film franchises. Bale continued in starring roles in a range of films outside his work as Batman, including the period drama The Prestige (2006), the action film Terminator Salvation (2009), the crime drama Public Enemies (2009), the epic film Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) and the superhero film Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). For his portrayal of boxer Dicky Eklund in the 2010 biographical film The Fighter, he won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Further Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations came for his work in the black comedy American Hustle (2013) and the biographical dramedies The Big Short (2015) and Vice (2018). His performances as politician Dick Cheney in Vice and race car driver Ken Miles in the sports drama Ford v Ferrari (2019) earned him a second win and a fifth nomination respectively at the Golden Globe Awards.
75 movies · 12 shows
The Resurrection of Christ
2026·0.0
The Bride!
2026·6.1
Sibyl
2025·0.0
The Pale Blue Eye
2022·6.8
Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer
2022·7.9
Amsterdam
2022·6.1
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Thor: Love and Thunder
2022·7.0
Thor: Love and Thunder
2022·6.4
Catwoman: The Feline Femme Fatale
2021·8.3
Joker: Put on a Happy Face
2020·8.0
Ford v Ferrari: Bringing the Rivalry to Life
2020·6.8
Ford v Ferrari
2019·8.0
Vice
2018·7.0
Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle
2018·6.5
Hostiles
2017·6.9
Spielberg
2017·7.5
The Promise
2016·6.8
The Big Short
2015·7.4
Knight of Cups
2015·5.7
Keepers of the Covenant: Making 'Exodus: Gods and Kings'
2015·5.8
Exodus: Gods and Kings
2014·5.9
The Making of American Hustle
2014·0.0
American Hustle
2013·6.9
Out of the Furnace
2013·6.6
Ending the Knight
2012·7.1
The Dark Knight Rises
2012·7.8
The Batmobile
2012·6.8
The Flowers of War
2011·7.4
The Fighter
2010·7.4
Michael Mann: Making 'Public Enemies'
2009·7.0
Public Enemies
2009·6.7
Heath Ledger: A Tribute
2009·8.3
Terminator Salvation
2009·6.1
The Dark Knight
2008·8.5
Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of The Dark Knight
2008·7.5
Gotham Uncovered: Creation of a Scene
2008·7.0
Making of a True Story: Rescue Dawn
2007·8.0
I'm Not There
2007·6.5
3:10 to Yuma
2007·7.2
Rescue Dawn
2007·7.0
The Director's Notebook: The Cinematic Sleight of Hand of Christopher Nolan
2007·8.8
The Prestige
2006·8.2
The New World
2005·6.5
Harsh Times
2005·6.4
Batman Begins
2005·7.7
Tankman Begins
2005·8.1
The Machinist
2004·7.5
Laurel Canyon
2003·6.0
Equilibrium
2002·7.1
Reign of Fire
2002·6.2
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
2001·6.0
Shaft
2000·6.0
American Psycho
2000·7.4
Shaft: Still the Man
2000·7.5
Mary, Mother of Jesus
1999·4.1
All the Little Animals
1999·6.0
A Midsummer Night's Dream
1999·6.4
Dying to Tell the Story
1998·9.0
Velvet Goldmine
1998·6.9
Metroland
1997·5.8
The Secret Agent
1996·5.6
The Portrait of a Lady
1996·6.0
Pocahontas
1995·6.9
Little Women
1994·7.3
Prince of Jutland
1994·5.4
Swing Kids
1993·6.7
Newsies
1992·6.7
A Murder of Quality
1991·5.6
Blood Drips Heavily on Newsie Square
1991·8.5
Treasure Island
1990·6.6
Henry V
1989·7.1
The China Odyssey: Empire of the Sun
1987·6.4
Empire of the Sun
1987·7.5
Mio in the Land of Faraway
1987·6.0
Citizen Steve
1987·6.0