Christian Bale

With a dancer (his mother) and two actors (his grandparents) in the family, Christian Bale has performing in his blood. Born Jan. 30, 1974, in Pembrokeshire, Wales, he began acting in British commercials at age 9.

Stage and TV work followed, but it wasn't until his affecting performance as a boy interned in a Japanese prison camp in Empire of the Sun (1987) that Bale gained widespread notice. Quickly establishing himself as a talent to watch, he continued to choose noteworthy films -- from Henry V (1989) to Little Women (1994). Moving into more mature roles by the late '90s, Bale earned acclaim for his work in Metroland and A Midsummer Night's Dream before delivering a savagely brilliant turn as the title character in American Psycho (2000).

Bale later donned the cloak of the Caped Crusader in Batman Begins (2005). He won his first Oscar and a Golden Globe Award in 2011 for his supporting work in The Fighter.

Filmography