Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an
English actor. In addition to starring roles in big budget
Hollywood films, he has long been heavily involved in films produced by
independent producers and
art houses.
Bale first caught the public eye when he was cast in the starring role of
Steven Spielberg's
Empire of the Sun at the age of 13, playing an
English boy who is separated from his parents and subsequently finds himself lost in a
Japanese internment camp during
World War II. Since then, he has portrayed a wide range of characters. Bale is especially noted for his
cult following: the tenth anniversary issue of
Entertainment Weekly hailed him as one of the "Top 8 Most Powerful Cult Figures of the Past Decade", citing his cult status on the
Internet.
[Wilson, Cintra (26 October 2004). "The magic Christian" Salon, retrieved on 2006-05-27.] EW called Bale one of the "Most Creative People in Entertainment" in anticipation of the release
American Psycho (2000).
