Christian Bale is one of the world's most accomplished actors today. But his career could have reached even greater heights had he not missed out on some big projects.
Talent and hard work are the essentials - you can't even get started without them. However, the game actually begins after that, when things are often beyond your control. It's about "being in the right place at the right time with the right people", and then making the right choices. For instance, we all know Christian Bale is an extraordinary actor and is one of the world's most distinguished film stars today. But look closely at his career, and you'll realize that he could have been an even bigger icon had he not missed out on several blockbuster projects. Sometimes, he didn't realize the potential of a script or a character, and hence simply passed them to others. But in most cases, he lost out to others, especially his 'nemesis' Leonardo DiCaprio. Both are of the same age, and Bale had lost numerous roles to DiCaprio throughout the 1990s. In fact, it was only after DiCaprio rejected 'American Psycho' that he bagged it, which eventually became his breakthrough.
Born on January 30, 1974, Christian Bale celebrates his 51st birthday today. On this occasion, let's have a look at some iconic roles that he almost played.
James Cameron's 'Titanic' (1997) is widely considered one of the greatest films of all time. And it was the film that catapulted Leonardo DiCaprio (along with his co-star, Kate Winslet) to international fame, making him a favorite of everyone. However, what many do not know is that Christian Bale had also been considered for the role.
Well, Bale desperately wanted to play the part but lost it to DiCaprio. As Harrison Cheung wrote in his book 'Christian Bale - The Inside Story of the Darkest Batman, "... James Cameron didn't want two British lead actors playing the two leads who were both supposed to be American."
Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet in ‘Titanic’
It went to such an extent that Bale reportedly started hating the 'Titanic' actor, calling him his 'nemesis'. As Cheung put it, "DiCaprio. The name burned Christian like a branding iron."
'Titanic' was not the first instance of Bale and DiCaprio's rivalry. It had actually started in 1993 when both were newcomers in the industry.
Christian Bale was up for the role of Tobias "Toby" Wolff in 'This Boy's Life', but lost to DiCaprio. The latter made his big-screen debut with the film, receiving enormous acclaim from critics and audiences alike.
Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘What's Eating Gilbert's Grapes’
The English actor was also considered for the role of Arnie Grape in Lasse Hallström's 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape', which was eventually played by DiCaprio. His performance in the film not only garnered widespread critical acclaim but also earned him his first nominations for the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Christian Bale says that he’s lost out on “at least five roles” to Leonardo DiCaprio including TITANIC
— Lights, Camera, Barstool (@LightsCameraPod) October 5, 2022
“Literally, he gets to choose everything he does. And good for him, he’s phenomenal.”
(via @GQMagazine) pic.twitter.com/D2WryBPobU
(Credit: Lights, Camera, Barstool)
Will Turner in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series is portrayed by Orlando Bloom. The character first appeared in the 2003 film, 'The Curse of the Black Pearl', and then in films like 'Dead Man's Chest', 'At World's End', and 'Dead Men Tell No Tales'.
However, before Bloom was locked for the role, several actors were considered for it. Christian Bale was one of them. The others were Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, and Tobey Macguire.
According to several reports, Ridley Scott's first choice for the titular character in his 2010 film 'Robin Hood' was Christian Bale. The two were in discussions for a while, and it was almost confirmed. However, Bale eventually opted out for some unknown reasons.
Sam Riley was also considered for the role before it was finally played by Russell Crowe. The film received mixed reviews upon its theatrical release but was a massive commercial success with a collection of $321.7 million worldwide. And Crowe's performance was lauded by one and all.
After 'American Psycho', Christian Bale seemed an appropriate choice to play James Bond on the big screen. While Pierce Brosnan was playing the legendary character at that time, producer Barbara Broccoli realized Bale would be able to take the franchise to the next level.
For 'Casino Royale', Broccoli approached Bale to play James Bond. While the actor initially found the offer tempting, he soon realized that he didn't want to do it - because he had already played a similar character in 'American Psycho'. Also, as he later shared in his interview with Daily Express, "James Bond was every despicable stereotype about England and British actors."
Besides Bale, several other actors were considered for the part, including Henry Cavill, Sam Worthington, and Dougray Scott. It was eventually played by Daniel Craig - and the rest, as they say, is history!
The list doesn't end here, as it also includes Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs), George Bush (W), Patrick Bateman (The Rules of Attraction), and Jake Hoyt (Training Day) among others.
