Cooper finds Bale's performance motivating for a shared role.
Rewritten Article:
With a nod to Christian Bale's remarkable act in American Sniper, Bradley Cooper found his inspiration. During a chat on the Howard Stern Show, Cooper, who shared the screen with Bale in David O. Russell's American Hustle, revealed that the mastery he showcased in his portrayal of the real-life Texas-born Navy SEAL was influenced by Bale's exceptional acting prowess.
In the 2015 film, Cooper aimed to mimic Bale's method acting method to truly bring the character to life.
During their time together in American Hustle, Cooper, a fan of Bale, noticed the actor's unique ability to adapt and transform into the character of Irving Rosenfeld, a Jewish man from New York City. Bale effortlessly switched between his natural Welsh accent and Rosenfeld's distinctive Long Island or Bronx drawl.
The next day, Bale surprised everyone by cutting his hair, shaving his head, and losing a significant amount of weight. Remarkably, he continued to speak in Rosenfeld's voice throughout rehearsals until the film's conclusion, according to Cooper.
When it came to American Sniper, Cooper decided to take a cue from Bale by adopting a similar approach for the character of Chris Kyle. To ensure authenticity, he maintained Kyle's Texan accent and mindset, even when off-camera.
Cooper noted that, unlike Bale, he didn't lose himself completely in the role. He conversed with Bale about his kids and the film's technical aspects, referring to him as Christian rather than Kyle. However, he understood the importance of staying in character for Bale, opting to talk like Chris Kyle on set to conserve energy and deepen his immersion.
Cooper pointed out that, had he not maintained the character's persona, he would have expended more energy reacting to ordinary objects like cell phones, as Kyle would have done.
- Bradley Cooper, who was influenced by Christian Bale's performance in American Sniper, aimed to emulate Bale's method acting approach in his portrayal of Chris Kyle in the same film.
- During their time working together in American Hustle, Cooper, who is a fan of Bale, admired Bale's ability to transform into the character of Irving Rosenfeld by switching between his natural Welsh accent and Rosenfeld's distinct accent.
- In an attempt to bring authenticity to the character of Chris Kyle, Cooper, like Bale, decided to maintain a Texan accent and mindset, even outside the film's shoot.
- Surprisingly, Bale, during their collaboration on American Hustle, went as far as cutting his hair, shaving his head, and losing a significant amount of weight, continuing to speak in Rosenfeld's voice throughout rehearsals.
- The world of movies and TV, including celebrities, have avidly observed and imitated such exemplary method acting techniques, as demonstrated by Bradley Cooper and Christian Bale.
- As Cooper noted, while he didn't entirely lose himself in the role of Chris Kyle like Bale, he understood the importance of staying in character to deepen his immersion and conserve energy, often speaking like Kyle even when off-camera.
