Christian Bale reveals unexpected method acting teacher

Oscar-winner Christian Bale has revealed he first learnt method acting from an unlikely source — Rowan Atkinson.

Bale, 45, who is known for fully transforming into the characters he plays, had his West End break aged 10 alongside Atkinson in Larry Shue’s The Nerd.

He told GQ Atkinson became his acting “template”.

“One of [my] first jobs ever was with Rowan Atkinson and I think I look at him as the template,” he said. “He would come out …and he would just become this character, but before he went on stage.”

Bale added: “I was mesmerised. And then he just stayed in character for the whole night.

"And it wasn’t until the whole thing was finished that he invited me to say hello and that I actually spoke to him for the first time.

“It dawned on me that was my learning phase. I went, ‘Oh, that’s how it’s done then, is it? OK, great.’”

Some of Bale’s top roles have involved him dramatically changing his body — he lost 63lb for 2004’s The Machinist, only to put on 100lb and bulk up for Batman Begins six months later.

He also gained 40lb and wore prosthetics for his Oscar-nominated portrayal of Dick Cheney in Vice.

Bale spoke to the magazine with Matt Damon ahead of their film Ford V Ferrari.

Read the full interview in GQ, available Friday