Christian Bale’s relationships with other actors are strictly business. The reason? If he spends time with his actor colleagues off the clock, then he simply cannot act with them onscreen. “I just have found that there’s wonderful actors who chat and get to know each other and hang out and then act wonderfully,†he told GQ in his recent cover story for Amsterdam, out October 7. “And I can’t do it … I just sort of know when I’m going to not be able to separate the person from the character that they’re playing.†Making friends on the celebrity-filled set was also a no-no. After he fanboyed over Chris Rock’s stand-up in conversations with the comedian, Bale realized that he couldn’t get into character if he revealed too much about himself. “I went to do a scene, and I went, ‘Oh, my God. I’m just Christian, standing here, being a fan of Chris Rock,’†the Nolan Batman explained. “So I went to him. I went, ‘Mate, I got to keep my distance.’†Or he’s just Team Will.
The decision to avoid his co-workers struck … a nerve with Rock. “He went, ‘Oh, you’re pulling the asshole card. You’re going to be an asshole and not talk,’†Bale recounted. “And I went, ‘Yeah. Sorry, mate.’ And it was my loss, you know?†His work-life balance weighs heavily on the life part. In that same interview, he said he’s “more than content†to not work; the unemployed life makes him “fucking ecstatic.†No need to avoid co-workers if you’re enjoying the freedom of not having a job.