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Christian Bale recently said that he couldn't be around Chris Rock on the set of the upcoming film Amsterdam because Rock was "so bloody funny" he "couldn't act."
Amsterdam is the latest movie from Academy Award-winning director David O. Russell (Three Kings, Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle). It follows the story of three friends who met during World War I and are later all accused of murder. The film is attracting attention for its ridiculously star-studded cast, which also includes Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert De Niro, and more.
With Amsterdam doing promotions right now, audiences are starting to get some interesting stories from the set. In an interview with IndieWire, Bale describes what it was like meeting Rock for the first time. “I remember his first day, I was excited to meet him, I’m a big fan of his standup,” Bale said. “Then he arrives, and he’s doing some things. … David [O. Russell] told him to tell me some stories that I didn’t know he was gonna tell me, which is the way David works often. And I was loving it.”
Also, Rock was apparently making Bale laugh so much that he couldn't get into character, and Bale had to “isolate” from him. “But Chris is so bloody funny and I found that I couldn’t act, because I was just becoming Christian laughing at Chris Rock,” Bale went on. “So I had to go to him, I went ‘mate, I love talking to you, and we have mutual friends, but I can’t do it anymore. Because David didn’t ask me to make this film so he could just watch me giggle. He wants me to be Burt, and I’m forgetting how to be Burt.'”
It's a funny story, but not too surprising given that Bale is well known for his dedication to his roles. While he doesn't consider himself a method actor, he has effected some remarkable physical transformations, from the overweight businessman in American Hustle to the ripped Batman in Batman Begins, to the lanky drug addict in The Fighter.
It's also nice to see some positive news about Rock for a change. Ever since March, his career and news coverage about him have revolved around the incident with Will Smith at the Oscars.
Amsterdam opens in theaters on October 7, 2022.
Source: IndieWire