Christian Bale snaps

[Lee Chambers]

This was awesome. The man clearly has strong feelings about his work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssoZzNmD0I8&feature=related

 

[tickledkitty]

I don't really understand why this has gotten so much press.

 

[Lee Chambers]

I don't really understand why this has gotten so much press.

Because actors can't be like the rest of us. They can't have such strong emotions and have moments where that glossy cool they always show us in the pictures.

Personally I think it's awesome. It would one thing if he were screaming about his meal getting screwed up or his trailer being too small. But I have to respect a man who feels so passionately about his work.

 

[slyc_willie]

Because actors can't be like the rest of us. They can't have such strong emotions and have moments where that glossy cool they always show us in the pictures.

Personally I think it's awesome. It would one thing if he were screaming about his meal getting screwed up or his trailer being too small. But I have to respect a man who feels so passionately about his work.

I can relate. I take my work seriously, and when something that should have been routine gets interrupted by someone else's stupidity, I've been known to go off.

Still, I think ol' Christy ranted a tad too much. There were parts of that where he sounded like a stereotypical spoiled actor.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

He's a method actor. There he is, trying to prevent annihilation of mankind at the hands of Skynet's cyborgs, and some dude strolls by with a couple of light bulbs? You bet he'll kick yo ass.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I don't blame him for acting up and screaming at the guy. He just took it a little too far is all.

And the guy with the light bulb should have shut the fuck up. all he did was elongate the conversation by trying to defend himself. Just say you are sorry, get out of the way, say you are sorry again if need be, and shut the fuck up.

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

I dunno. I find it oddly comforting to hear someone lose it like that and get truly angry. It is nice to hear someone scream their head off about something that means a lot to them (provided it isn't me they are screaming at of course, lol). I guess the reason I feel that way is because I used to have quite a temper and would lose it like that often. Since I've aged, I've mellowed and lost that somewhat. It's good to hear that level of passionate anger.

 

[jomar]

So men can be divas too. Big deal.

 

[Liar]

Yah, I had tantrums like that too. When I was five.

"Oh, but he's trying to focus on his acting..."

He wouldn't last five minues doing stage acting. What a pussy.

 

[christabelll]

certainly didn't take long to make it all public did it.
He had a point. A seriously real true blue point. But - though the other fellow couldn't be heard, he did little to calm the situation down. It didn't sound diva it sounded righteously pissed. Especially if the scene was an intense one (which in terminator style probably was). Having been on a few movie sets in my day The focus required is intense and to have some one blow that focus not once but twice is inexcusable.
The same goes for live theater of which I also have tons of experience. Having focus disrrupted in rehearsals (exp. close to opening night) is enough to put even the most level headed of the leads into an uproar.

Bale you could lose your cool and not turn into a "fucking" screaming dweeb. But I understand completely.

 

[Huckleman2000]

certainly didn't take long to make it all public did it.
He had a point. A seriously real true blue point. But - though the other fellow couldn't be heard, he did little to calm the situation down. It didn't sound diva it sounded righteously pissed. Especially if the scene was an intense one (which in terminator style probably was). Having been on a few movie sets in my day The focus required is intense and to have some one blow that focus not once but twice is inexcusable.
The same goes for live theater of which I also have tons of experience. Having focus disrrupted in rehearsals (exp. close to opening night) is enough to put even the most level headed of the leads into an uproar.

Bale you could lose your cool and not turn into a "fucking" screaming dweeb. But I understand completely.

Yes, from similar experiences I can hardly blame the man.

The whole process of acting is to break down all your barriers to reaction, so that your performance is totally "in the moment". You have to lose yourself to your body, and give in to the adrenalin flowing through you to be the focus of so much attention, but also be able to focus all of that into the things you have to accomplish to get through the scene (for example, hitting a mark without looking at it, keeping your face open to the camera, remembering your lines...) You're trying to feather yourself to remain near that edge of losing it, and someone does something REALLY STUPID twice? And then talks back about it? Sorry pal. Actor trumps Lighting Director during a take, and to be that clueless about that simple fact of moviemaking is the true "diva" behavior in this case. Instead of talking back, the guy should have shut up and gone to a corner to pray he still has a job while everyone else tries not to look at him. Then, once the Director is satisfied with a decent take and everyone starts to set up the next shot, the actor comes over and apologizes for blowing up, and the guy apologizes for blowing the take, and you finish the shoot. But before every take after that, the actor looks around to make sure he knows where the idiot is.

 

[redpaint]

guess I am the odd ma n out here. Ok the guy may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sure I would have upset too. But that was just a bit much. the guy did try to say he was sorry.

 

[DeeZire]

A grown man acting like a child. This does not impress me, although he would be a good choice to play GW Bush. He's got the righteous indignation down pat.

Life is too short to have to deal with assholes like that. And then he threatens to kick the guy's ass? He must be a Republican. A Dem would have threatened to fuck the guy's wife. And his girlfriend.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

According to the article I read, the lighting guy had already been warned numerous times to leave the lights alone during scenes. He didn't just walk by with a bunch of light bulbs, he was actually fiddling with the lighting during the scene. The sources in the article say that Bale's reaction was justified and that the lighting guy was very unprofessional.

 

[Liar]

Life is too short to have to deal with assholes like that. And then he threatens to kick the guy's ass? He must be a Republican. A Dem would have threatened to fuck the guy's wife. And his girlfriend.

...or just went ahead and done it.

 

[DeeZire]

The sources in the article say that Bale's reaction was justified and that the lighting guy was very unprofessional.

Acting like a baby in a professional situation is never justified, unless you actually are a baby.

 

[Huckleman2000]

Acting like a baby in a professional situation is never justified, unless you actually are a baby.

You know, on a shoot it is an actor's job to get into makeup and costume, then to sit quietly and keep out of everyone's way until he's on camera. Then, everyone else sits quietly and stays out of the actor's, Director's, and cameraman's way. If you're not one of those three people, or talking to one of them, you should be quiet and be still.

Bale lost his shit, yeah. But that lighting guy will probably never work on a movie set again. He'll spend the rest of his career lighting food for Red Lobster ads, or maybe, if he's lucky, fashion stills.

 

[Liar]

According to the article I read, the lighting guy had already been warned numerous times to leave the lights alone during scenes. He didn't just walk by with a bunch of light bulbs, he was actually fiddling with the lighting during the scene. The sources in the article say that Bale's reaction was justified and that the lighting guy was very unprofessional.

From what I can make, the guy did his job and didn't affect the shoot. But he walked into Bale's sight, out of camera, which broke the actor's concentration.

Being a method acting wünderkind only works in a fragile little bubble. Like I said, he needs to get schooled in some proper stage acting. No place for that kind of 'french nerves' shennanigans there. You'd have ten to twenty similar distractions to ignore on a stage in front of an audience - per minute. If he was truly immersed in his character and scene, he wouldn't have noticed if the lights went out.

 

[Huckleman2000]

Acting like a baby in a professional situation is never justified, unless you actually are a baby.

Or an actor hired to portray one.

I'm not saying the behavior was justified - it wasn't, and Bale himself has said he's ashamed about it. Bale's job, his profession, is to put himself into intense emotional states. Very few actors can "go there", and then immediately flip off the switch.

Think of a basketball game, and some photographer wanders on the court to get a better shot. This is the movie-set equivalent of Shaq wiping out a photographer who's standing in the paint.

 

[Huckleman2000]

From what I can make, the guy did his job and didn't affect the shoot. But he walked into Bale's sight, out of camera, which broke the actor's concentration.

Being a method acting wünderkind only works in a fragile little bubble. Like I said, he needs to get schooled in some proper stage acting. No place for that kind of 'french nerves' shennanigans there. You'd have ten to twenty similar distractions to ignore on a stage in front of an audience - per minute. If he was truly immersed in his character and scene, he wouldn't have noticed if the lights went out.

You have no idea what you're talking about, or else you're a really shitty actor.

 

[TE999]

As I recall, Marlon Brando used to do this sort of thing. He quickly gained a reputation as 'difficult to work with' and the parts offered to him declined sharply.

He redeemed hinself in 'The Godfather".

 

[Liar]

You have no idea what you're talking about, or else you're a really shitty actor.

I am a shitty actor. Which is why I don't do it professionally. But I know and work with some really good ones who do. Three hours a night, six to seven nights a week for a full house. Think they snap over some movement in their vision? Or a prop error? Or a cell phone going off? I'll show them this, and I promise you, they'll laugh their asses off.

Nobody wandered into his court. Somebody wandered ten feet behind the hoop.

 

[Boota]

I read an article that stated it was done numerous times as well. WAlking through the scene, adjusting lights while shooting. Maybe - MAYBE - the tirade was a bit much, but then maybe not. The guy, even though he can't be heard clearly, seems to be egging the shit on. And the money being lost is a ridiculous amount. I've done a similar situation while recording. A session I was paying for out of my own pocket. A guy came in and started fucking around in the control room while I was laying down a solo. He was bothering the engineer and just being an ass. I set down my guitar walked into the control and threw him out by the head.

I didn't yell at him, though.

 

[christabelll]

Been there seen that too Boota! Gotta Love San Francisco for being involved in all kinds of "Drama".

I didn't say it wasn't immature. It was rather childish to keep ranting - but

But - from all the different reports and the "recording" of it, the guy was asking for a scene to unfold. I didn't get a sense of sincere remorse or apology for fucking it up. Again difficult scenes require intense focus and it IS easy to throw the actor\ress out of the scene just that fast be it someone coughing or some light dude messing with the reflector screens. So in a way - it was justified.

But god I always did hate a prima donna on the set or on the stage... glad I am retired.

 

[unregistered]

Michael Cera parody of the Christian Bale Snap