Did Christian Bale Gain Weight for American Hustle? How Much Did He Gain?

Bikram Karki

Did Christian Bale Gain Weight for American Hustle? How Much Did He Gain?

Yes, Christian Bale gained weight for his role in American Hustle. The Irving Rosenfeld actor claimed that he gained 43 pounds for his role in the movie. 

Christian Bale is renowned for performing a variety of roles, many of which needed drastic physical changes that he took too seriously. Depending on the demands of the role, he would gain or lose a significant amount of weight.

The role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho was the one that truly made him famous. The character also signified the beginning of a career filled with weight gain and loss; sometimes it’s all muscle gain to portray a certain superhero, and other times it’s a significant weight reduction that may have endangered his life. His commitment to acting is demonstrated by the legendary Christian Bale body transformation gallery, which only strengthens his reputation as a serious method actor.

Similarly, Christian also looked massive in the 2013 movie, American Hustle, in which he played the role of a ’70s con man-turned-FBI agent. Even though it has been almost a decade since the release of the movie, many people still wonder if he gained weight for the movie. Well, let’s find it out.

Previously, we touched on the weight gain stories of Abigail Breslin and the Shiv Roy actress.

Yes, Christian Bale Gained Weight for American Hustle: He Gained 43 Pounds for the Movie!

In addition to his acting skills, Christian Bale is one of the finest actors who transform their bodies time and again for their roles. And there’s no chance he would have used CGI or body prosthetics to look appear heavier in the 2013 movie, American Hustle. Yes, he really did gain weight for his role in the movie.

Christian Bale gained 43 pounds for his role in American Hustle.

Christian Bale gained 43 pounds for his role in American Hustle.
Source: IMDB

From 185 pounds to 228 pounds, he gained 43 pounds for the role. When speaking about how he was able t gain so much weight in an interview with PEOPLE, he told,

I ate lots of doughnuts, a whole lot of cheeseburgers and whatever I could get my hands on. I literally ate anything that came my way….I was about 185 and went up to 228. I’m still working it off.

Bale developed a noticeable belly as a result of the massive weight gain, which he gleefully flaunts in the film. In order to depict a balding man who glues and hairsprays a toupee onto his head convincingly, the former Batman even chopped off all of his hair.

However, his transformation almost go him fired from his other movie. The weight Bale put on for American Hustle wasn’t precisely what he needed to be for Exodus: Gods and Kings, his upcoming movie. He nearly got fired because of how he appeared when he walked onto the set on the first day.

Christian Bale's latest appearance.

Christian Bale’s latest appearance.
Source: Los Angeles Time

When the Irving Rosenfeld actor is dressed, you couldn’t really see the difference in body weight between The Dark Knight Rises and American Hustle, but when he took off his suit, you could see it clearly. Bale’s wife didn’t mind the weight, but at the time, his daughter, who was eight, thought it was funny. He said,

She found it funny. Having a big old gut and a bald head, she would slap it and tease me. She had lots of fun and found it amusing.

Bale revealed to People in December 2013 that he was still attempting to shed the weight he put on during the filming of American Hustle. It was unfortunate because he would soon be portraying a very buff Moses in Exodus: Gods and Kings and he was unable to reach his goal even after six months. He explained,

I think I’m certainly getting older. I thought I was going to lose the weight I gained for American Hustle. I said, two months, flat, that’ll do it. I was 185 and I went up to 228 for it. And I’m still working that off! It’s almost six months later. Now I know that when I was in my early 20s, it would have been two months, and that’s it.

Overall, Christian Bale is a fantastic actor who has experienced some dramatic alterations for his blockbusters, but this may have a bad long-term influence on his health. Extreme weight changes like Bale’s should only be done under the guidance of a healthcare expert, according to the American Heart Organization, which advises weight maintenance methods that change weight gradually and stably, supported by a wholesome diet and frequent exercise.