Christian Bale (Batman) -- A linguistic Schizo?

[Armstead]

Okay I know it is becoming common for Brits or Australians to adopt an American accent for roles in US movies.

But this one is too weird.

I saw a couple of interviews with Christian Bale (Batman, of course) on American TeeVee, and he answered questions with a perfectly modulated American accent.

But a couple of days ago, I heard an interview with him on the BBC, and he spoke with a real hard-core working-class English accent. I don't know enough to place which it is, but it made Hugh Grant sound like a Californian by comparison.

It just struck me as really weird.

[mzteris]

1. well, he was born

in Wales.

And he's an accomplished actor - American accent for Americans, British for the Brits. Makes sense.

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. ABBA.

[Orrex]

3. I keep telling you that you're spelling ABBA backwards

Boob.

[Fire Walk With Me]

4. Wow, Bob, wow..

[ghostsofgiants]

6. I want my garmonbozia.

(Not a palindrome, but I don't care.)

[Fire Walk With Me]

7. Bravo!

:applause:

[leftyclimber]

5. He gives interviews in the dialect he used in the movie he's promoting.

He's very adept.

Dialect and voicework was one of my specialties when I was acting. If you have a good ear and the right practice/coaching, it can be downright creepy how close you can get to the real deal. I'm in a social science now, and I've sometimes caught myself shifting into the local dialect when I do fieldwork. I blame it on my theatre training. On the other hand, it's incredibly useful to gain access to groups that aren't normally very receptive.

A lot of actors, when they're doing a role where they use a dialect other than their own, will try to stay 24/7 in that dialect to make sure they can maintain their accuracy. Bale is one of the few who does it after the shoot is over. As a marketing trick, it makes sense -- the viewer/listener associates the actor with the character they are playing in the movie they're pimping instead of going, "whoa, he doesn't sound at ALL like the character he plays" and getting all fascinated with that instead of the film.

Bale's the real deal. I hope he sticks around for a long time, beyond the 20-odd years he's already been at it. Amazing to think he was the little boy in "Empire of the Sun," isn't it?

[Orrex]

8. What's odd is that I find his American accent more convincing than his British

Seriously!

[AwakeAtLast]

16. What accent was he using the first time you heard him speak?

I think that may have something to do with it. :shrug:

[Orrex]

17. I can't quite remember

What accent did he use in Empire of the Sun?

[oshyposhy]

9. Not that I am a stalker...

But from his filming Public Enemies in our state, it was said to me by some extra's and stand ins that he stays totally in character, including accent for the duration of filming.

(Johnny Depp was way cooler)

[leftyclimber]

10. Did you drool on him?

You know, in that way...

Please tell me you drooled on him....

:loveya:

[oshyposhy]

11. On Johnny?

Sort of. It was rather embarrassing.

[leftyclimber]

12. Oh, either one's okay!

:rofl:

[oshyposhy]

13. Good to know!

But Bale doesn't trip my trigger.

[leftyclimber]

14. I have to admit

as much as I admire Bale for his acting chops, I feel kinda pervy getting hot for him. He will always be the little boy in Empire of the Sun to me, and that makes me feel weird when I watch him as an adult

Johnny Depp, OTOH, he can wax my skis anyday. ;)

[oshyposhy]

15. I'd be happy to wax his ski.

Many times.;)

[DarkTirade]

18. He's Welsh, not English.

I'd imagine either one would be annoyed if you confused them. :P

[leftyclimber]

19. And he's Gloria Steinem's stepson.

I just had to throw that in because I think it's cool. ;)

[DarkTirade]

20. That I didn't know.

:)

[Armstead]

21. I'm American with a Welsh background

I guess it's unforgivable not to have noticed. :)

[nytemare]

22. But, he is a Brit!

That's all that really matters.

:D

[otherlander]

23. What you're thinking of is Multiple Personality Disorder.

Schizophrenia is entirely different.

[JohnnieGordon]

24. A Christian Bale thread needs beefcake pics

I've never heard of this movie, but he looks hot on the cover:





And a Ryan Reynolds pic just because I couldn't find enough good beefcake pics of Bale:

[DS1]

25. Give me a few more days of watching Top Gear and I'll get my Brit accent back

:)

[jobycom]

26. As long as he didn't use that lozenge-begging Batman growlie voice.