There are actors who embody the character—and then there’s Christian Bale. That was the underlying vibe on a recent edition of The Joe Rogan Experience, in which the UFC commentator, comic Kyle Dunnigan, and the Robin to Rogan’s Batman, Jamie Vernon, dove headfirst into the extremities of method acting. While the subject bounced from Jared Leto’s iconic Joker antics to on-set distractions, Bale’s extreme body transformations and infamous tirades became the main topic. So, what did Joe Rogan say?
The UFC commentator didn’t hold back, dubbing The Machinist—Bale’s 2004 psychological thriller—a “terrible movie,” while applauding the sheer craziness of what Bale went through to make it. The JRE host marveled at the fact that Bale nearly starved himself to death, weighing just 120 pounds, for a film that, in his words, “no one saw.” It wasn’t an attack on the film’s integrity but rather a recognition of Bale’s dedication.
“You’ve got to be out of your f—— mind,” the UFC commentator said. “To have a guy who’s a leading man almost die for a movie that no one saw.” However, it doesn’t always work. Jamie brought up the example of Jared Leto, who too took to method acting to portray the role of the Joker in Suicide Squad. While he did many crazy things, such as sending his co-stars some nasty gifts; his performance, and the movie were panned by critics worldwide.
For Joe Rogan, Christian Bale is the pinnacle of how far certain performers will go to embody a character, regardless of how the finished product turns out. That kind of insane behavior, he suggested, is part of what distinguishes someone like Bale from the rest. Even funnier was Dunnigan bringing up Bale’s infamous on-set meltdown during Terminator Salvation, in which he lost his cool with a crew member for disrupting a serious scene.
However, for the JRE guest, the most startling aspect wasn’t the wrath itself, but how Bale remained in his American accent while yelling. “The thing I found interesting about that was his accent. He kept an American accent when he was screaming,” Dunning said.
MMA: UFC 274 – Weigh Ins, May 6, 2022 Phoenix, Arizona, USA UFC announcer Joe Rogan during weigh ins for UFC 274 at the Arizona Federal Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports, 06.05.2022 15:07:43, 18218608, NPStrans, UFC, Joe Rogan, MMA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMarkxJ.xRebilasx 18218608
So, to no one’s surprise, what began as a laugh about performers delving too deeply into their characters gradually evolved into a kind of backhanded respect for Bale’s captivating intensity—even if it scared his co-stars and puzzled the audience at points. And that’s the thing: even though Bale maintains he’s not a method actor, his colleagues and behavior suggest otherwise. Chloe Sevigny confesses to feeling terrified on the set of American Psycho, wondering why Bale wouldn’t communicate between shots. Josh Lucas thought his performance was “terrible”—until he discovered, years later, that Bale was functioning at a completely different level.
Whether it’s for a critically praised smash or a niche thriller like The Machinist, Christian Bale thoroughly immerses himself in the role, blurring the line between acting and being. What if this means that others think he’s insane? On Joe Rogan‘s show, this merely raises him to the heights of greatness. But seeing the JRE host so engrossed by the world of acting in this episode and his hosting certain Hollywood stars on his podcast, one might believe that he’s all praise about the industry and its top workers. However, that would be far from the truth, as in a previous edition, he went berserk on Hollywood elites for ruining the Oscars.
Joe Rogan goes off on Hollywood stars for politicizing the Oscars
It’s almost comical how someone like Joe Rogan can go from admiring Christian Bale’s borderline obsessive dedication to his art to absolutely destroying the same industry Bale thrives in. But that’s the appeal of Rogan’s podcast: the pendulum swings wildly, and no one—celebrity or not—is off-limits. One moment, he’s nerding out about a massive weight transformation, and the next he’s blasting Hollywood elites for politicizing the Oscars. In fact, as far as he’s concerned, the showbiz crowd lost the plot a long time ago.
In a previous episode with Antonio Brown, Rogan discussed everything that bothers him about awards season. The Oscars, once a magnificent celebration of cinema, suddenly resembled a TED Talk in tuxedos. “Just make your f—— movies!” he said, rolling his eyes at speeches that drifted into debates about world issues. His annoyance was obvious; he didn’t even try to be diplomatic.
“Yayyy, we won. That’s it. That’s all I want to hear from you,” he said, mocking the overblown sense of importance that typically comes with a golden statue. The UFC commentator believes that actors who make a profession claiming to be somebody they aren’t should not suddenly turn to lecturing the world.
However, it becomes sharper—almost surgical—when Joe Rogan begins to challenge the pedestal itself. “Just because you’re famous doesn’t mean what you have to say is important,” the JRE host said. And, while the statistics suggest that the Oscars regained some audience this year, Rogan’s question remains: are people tuning in to celebrate film, or are they just waiting for the next viral drama? Whatever the case, one thing is certain: when the UFC commentator watches Hollywood, he doesn’t always clap. But what do you think? Do you agree with his opinion? Let us know in the comments.
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