Everyone is their own worst critic, and that’s even the case with the biggest movie stars. Christian Bale had some harsh words for himself, admitting this week that he’s not really a fan of his own performances in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
In an interview with Yahoo Movies for Terrence Malick’s Knight of Cups, Bale said he was never able to get the performance of Batman and Bruce Wayne he wanted on the screen.
“I didn’t quite manage what I hoped I would throughout the trilogy,” the Oscar winner said. “Chris did, but my own sense of self is like, ‘I didn’t quite nail it.’”
Heath Ledger’s acclaimed performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight didn’t help things, taking the spotlight away from Batman.
“Heath turned up, and just kind of completely ruined all my plans. Because I went, 'He’s so much more interesting than me and what I’m doing,’” Bale said.
The next time Batman hits the big screen, Bale will be in the audience. Ben Affleck wears the cape and cowl in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which opens later this month. It’s clear that Bale still feels a connection to the role, as in 2014 he said that he was “jealous” of Affleck.
“The fact that I’m jealous of someone else playing Batman…I think I should have gotten over it by now,” Bale told Empire Magazine. “I haven’t spoken with Ben, but I emailed him offering bits of advice that I learned the hard way. I would imagine he is doing everything he can to avoid anything that I did.”
Bale played Batman in Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. He can be seen in Knight of Cups, which begins a limited release this weekend. He just earned an Oscar nomination for The Big Short.