London, Oct 24 - Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise was the inspiration for Christian Bale's frightening portrayal of a bloodthirsty maniac in "American Psycho", according to the movie's director Mary Harron.

"The Dark Knight" actor took on the role of Patrick Bateman in the 2000 thriller, playing a wealthy young investment banker who apparently leads a double life as a vicious multiple murderer, reports hollywood. com.

Melbourne, Oct 22 : Brit actor Christian Bale is said to have modelled the sociopathic central character in the movie ‘American Psycho’ after actor Tom Cruise.

According to Mary Harron, who directed the 2000 film, Bale came up with the idea of using Cruise as inspiration for playing serial killer Patrick Bateman after seeing him appear on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Harron revealed the idea was raised during a series of phone calls between her and Bale in preparation for the film.

Washington, July 25 : Christian Bale is set to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman for the sequel of "The Dark Knight" next year.

The actor confirmed he would don the rubber Batsuit for the third time though a production schedule was yet to be charted.

His co-star Gary Oldman, who features as Commissioner Gordon in the hit series, made the revelation at the recent annual Comic-Con in San Diego, California.

"The next Batman is shooting next year. It''s at least two years away. But you didn''t hear it from me!" Contactmusic quoted him as telling fans. (ANI)

London, July 15 : Brit actor Christian Bale was seen sporting an emaciated appearance on July 13 in preparation for his new movie role.

Bale, 35, who will be playing the part of drug-addicted boxer Dickie Eklund, looked gaunt as he walked through Los Angeles, where he is filming `The Fighter', reports the Daily Express.

The `Dark Knight' star is a method actor, and he lost 63 pounds (29 kilograms) for his role in 2004's `The Machinist'.

Washington, Jun 24 : `The Dark Knight' star Christian Bale has earned himself praise from the family of the real life FBI agent he portrayed in his new movie `Public Enemies'.

Bale, 35, plays Agent Melvin Purvis, the man who tracked down legendary 1930s bank robber John Dillinger, who is portrayed by Johnny Depp in the movie.

Bale spent time with Purvis' relatives in preparation for the role and even visited the late law enforcer's grave with his son Alston, who was delighted with the on-screen results.

Washington, Jun 2 : `The Dark Knight' star Christian Bale has nothing but praise for his wife Sibi, especially when it comes to her taking his intense mood swings in her stride.

Bale, 35, who insists the former model "doesn't take any nonsense", had made headlines earlier this year when a tape of him ranting at a production worker on his `Terminator Salvation' movie was leaked on the Internet.

Washington, May 25 : Unlike other celebs who enjoy high-end living, actor Christian Bale is different – he prefers a “low maintenance” life.

His ‘Terminator Salvation’ co-star Bryce Dallas Howard has revealed that he lives in a one-bedroom house, and barely has a cell phone.

"He barely has a cell phone. He''s not one of those flamboyant actors that need a lot of people helping him,” Contactmusic quoted Howard as saying.

London, May 23 : Christian Bale made the ultimate goof-up while shooting for his first scene as Batman-he was caught sleeping on the set.

The British actor has revealed that he is so calm during movie shoots that he''s often found snoozing when the cameras roll.

"I fall asleep on sets all the time. I''ve done it in the middle of scenes," the Daily Star quoted him as telling GQ magazine.

"In Batman Begins, in the first scene I had with Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, I fell asleep. I was meant to be waking up, so I laid down and just fell asleep.

Batman star Christian Bale is finding it hard to maintain his vegetarianism because he is often struck with the strong compulsion to eat meat.

The actor turned vegetarian when he was seven years old and kept it up for nearly 20 years, until an odd movie theatre experience left him craving meat.

Washington, May 22 : Christian Bale has been having a hard time being a vegetarian since the actor often craves to eat meat.

The Batman star revealed he had given up being a non-vegetarian at the young age of seven and stayed that way for almost 20 years, until a movie theatre experience egged his compulsion to have meat.

"I was in Toronto and went to see the (1997) movie Life is Beautiful by myself," Contactmusic quoted him as telling GQ magazine.

New York, May 19 : Hollywood actor Christian Bale claims that his profanity-laced tirade was "unfortunate" and "inexcusable."

The ‘Terminator Salvation’ star’s four-minute rant against director of photography Shane Hurlbut on the set of the film was leaked onto the Internet earlier this year.

London, May 12 : Christian Bale was so adamant to play the role of John Connor in `Terminator Salvation' that he forced its writers to re-do its script, to give him a bigger part in the latest instalment in the sci-fi franchise.

Originally, Bale was offered the lead role of Marcus Wright in the upcoming sequel, but the `Batman' star turned down the part, and claimed to only play Connor in the film.

London, May 11 : Batman star Christian Bale has said that the controversy surrounding his ranting on the sets of `Terminator Salvation' could affect the film's release.

The actor fears that his foul-mouthed tirade, which recently hit the headlines, has gained more attention than the film itself.

"What's being focused on is four minutes where I behaved bad," the Daily Star quoted him as telling US TV.

Washington, May 7 : Christian Bale has said that he never saw any coverage of `Dark Knight' co-star Heath Ledger's death, as he believed that he knew him better than what was being shown in media.

The Batman star has claimed that he would switch off the TV whenever anything regarding Ledger was telecast.

London, May 4 : Actor Christian Bale has revealed that he once accidentally chopped off the top of one of his fingers and was far from feeling any pain.

The Batman star said he injured his left hand index finger during a dirt-biking accident and was surprised to realise it did not hurt.

"I had a dirt-biking accident and chopped it off at the end," the Sun quoted him as saying.

London, May 1 : Welsh born English actor Christian Bale has revealed that he hopes `The Dark Knight' director Christopher Nolan signs up for the third Batman film.

Bale, 35, said the reason he wants Nolan, 39, to direct the next movie, is because nobody would be able to do as good a job.

The actor is contractually obliged to star in a third film, but he is worried about the future of the franchise if Nolan refuses to take charge.

London, Apr 30: Hollywood actor Christian Bale says that Terminator Salvation crewmembers betrayed his "magic circle" of trust by recording his on-set rant.

An audio clip of Bale screaming abuse at the film''s director of photography became a YouTube hit when it was leaked online in February. It featured 39 F-words and Bale threatening to quit the film.

In an interview to Total Film magazine, the ‘Batman Begins’ star lashed out at the crewmembers for betraying his trust.

Washington, April 21: Christian Bale will star in director David O. Russell's `The Fighter' along with Mark Wahlberg.

The movie recalls the life of Boston boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward and his unlikely path to become world lightweight champion with the help of his half-brother Dicky Eklund.

The Batman Begins actor, who has been re-teamed with Relativity Media, will play the role of Eklund, who himself was a professional boxer and trained Mickey after kicking his drug addiction in jail, reports Variety.

London, Feb 7: `Batman' star Christian Bale has finally apologised for his "inexcusable" expletive-laden rant.

On a phone call to the KROQ radio station in Los Angeles, the 35-year-old Welsh-born actor expressed his regret over the profanity-laden tirade against the director of photography on his film `Terminator Salvation'.

"It''s been a miserable week for me," the Telegraph quoted him as saying of the public reaction to the leaked audio recording.

Washington, Feb 5 : Batman star Christian Bale''s mother wants her son to curb his violent temper after listening to the actor's recently leaked movie set rant.

An audio clip of Bale''s intense four-minute expletive-ridden rant at a crewmember on the set of the forthcoming movie `Terminator Salvation' was leaked online on February 3.

After listening to the footage, the star''s mother Jenny, 61, was devastated and desperately wished her son could have controlled his anger.

"I haven''t spoken to Christian about it, but I have listened to most of it and he was clearly very angry. People might not realise that that is his temper, and they might understand a bit more," Contactmusic quoted her as telling Britain''s Daily Mirror.