After breathing new life into Bruce Wayne and the Caped Crusader in the Batman film series (with a little help from director Christopher Nolan) the British-born, former child star Christian Bale (Empire Of The Sun) is taking on another pop culture icon, John Connor, in Terminator Salvation.
In a candid chat with Earl Dittman, the intensely private actor discusses why he wanted to become a part of director McG’s revamped vision of the Terminator, shares his thoughts about the franchise’s earlier cinematic incarnations, tells what it was like meeting a certain legendary star-turned-politician, and explains his behavior on the Terminator Salvation set and why he wouldn’t want be stranded on a desert island with either Batman or John Connor.
Do you take more responsibility for carrying a film like Terminator Salvation than most actors would? Also, in light of the headlines you generated during filming, do you think your behavior on a movie set kind of sets the tone of the production?
“The movie should really be held on the director’s shoulders, but I have a certain way… listen, I approach every character differently and I will have a different code of conduct on each and every set. I do feel there is something to recognizing — which has taken me a long time to come around to — that I am the lead actor in a movie. And, in many ways, yeah, I can sort of set the tone for how I would desire for people to conduct themselves, and the immersion that I think is important for movies. It’s always felt like a strange thing to me, because I’ve never been anything like a born leader. I’m very much a loner, and I can’t stand the responsibility of people looking to me for what to do next. I just put my head down and do my own thing, and if other people find that helpful, then that’s wonderful. I just don’t want to end up treading on anybody’s toes with the way that I may or may not behave.”
Were you really into the Terminator films while you were growing up?
“I loved the first one and the second one.”
What was it that you liked about Terminator and T2?
“Well, I didn’t see the first one when it came out, I saw it on video at a friend’s house in England. I enjoyed it. At that time, no one had ever seen someone like Schwarzenegger, you know. He has had so many imitators since then that’s it’s ceased to become a novelty and has become a kind of a cliché. Hence, you’ve got the likes of me being in Batman and now in Terminator, not exactly comparable to those ’80s stars. There was that real basic recognition of a nightmare that so many people have and just that relentless pursuit by something that is so unstoppable and then the very cool images, the fantasy and the escapism of those movies.”
What about Terminator 2: Judgment Day and T3?
“T2, I remember going to see that when it first opened in the States. It’s the most excitement I’ve been a part of in a movie. You could hardly hear anything throughout the movie because everyone was just screaming so loud through it! Then the inevitable happens. It’s so rare that you get a third movie that is worth watching and it became a little bit of a spoof. I mean, look it’s just a movie [T3], I’m not here to have a go at anybody, but it just wasn’t up to the others at all. And I thought that was a great shame. I think there’s a real nice mythology to it, but it needed re-invention and I liked that idea.”
So, how did you feel when you were given the first screenplay for Terminator Salvation?
“When I was first approached with this, I didn’t feel like it was really being re-invented in a good enough fashion, so I said no to it a number of times. But then with the conversations about what could happen with the script and the potential of what we could do, I came around to thinking that it was something I wanted to be involved with. And as always in the case with me, a number of people told me, ‘Don’t bother, don’t do it, you don’t want to risk this kind of thing not working,’ but that makes me want to do it even more. We were also up against the writer’s strike, which went on far longer than I anticipated. We were slowly approaching the beginning of principal photography and in my very naÔve mind, I said, ‘So guys when are we going to actually start filming?’ And the answer is no, there’s no pushing it back, because what I dumbly hadn’t realized that with movies like these, it’s much like the country, with companies that keep the country afloat, these kinds of movies keep the company afloat so they need them. So we had to come up with something fast. So that’s when I called up (writer) Jonathan Nolan. He came up with something which was a very different concept to the other movies, but respectful to the continuation of that mythology.”
Can you talk about the relationship you have with the Nolan Brothers [Jonathan and Christopher, the director of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight]?
“It’s a great relationship. I’m sure they’re sick of looking at my mug! But I hope it will continue to be a good working relationship in the future with other projects. They’re fantastic, and Chris has an understanding — because he’s Anglo-American, he grew up in both countries; he has this wonderful understanding of both countries. He has a great knowledge for the movie language which I don’t. For me, I’m all about the real world, logic and applying that to anything, and there are points when you have to trust a director that within a movie, the real world logic will get removed. There are so many times I’ve been proven wrong and Chris is always right with it. He understands it much better than I ever will, and I don’t wish to. I like to approach it very much from a real world point of view, but I’m always picking it apart. I go to every director and say ‘This doesn’t work, because this isn’t logical and he wouldn’t do that.’ But mine is from a very real world point of view and so I need somebody who understands movie language better to tell me that people are not going to be thinking that. But it’s been a wonderful relationship, probably more beneficial for me than it is for them.”
You’ve had a lot of experience in the action genre, so in what ways did Terminator Salvation push you even further?
“Physically, not at all. I was actually surprised at how easy this one was compared to some of the other movies that I’ve made. It was far less physical exertion. By the time a Terminator comes to physically grapple with a human, you’re done. So it was primarily about weapons, which was a whole lot less exerting than the physical aspect of it. There are just elements of it naturally being futuristic and there had to be CGI and it was the most CGI that I have ever worked with, probably far less than many other actors have. There were certainly no days when we were just standing in front of the green screen, but more so than anything I’ve done before. And very much now, through seeing the gradual creation of the movie through the editing process, just how stunning that side of the movie is. When we were filming, we thought we were the leads in the movie. It ain’t so, once you get the CGI, the Terminators and everybody in there. Of course, you have to have a solid story because special FX and CGI don’t mean crap if you don’t have a good story in there as well. But the fact is, those guys are the stars of the movie, not us.”
How do you portray John Connor? What kind of guy is he?
“He’s a bit of a strange cat in that he’s somebody who has known his destiny for many years. There’s that famous quote by Sarah Connor: ‘There is no fate, but what you make.’ So he does understand as well that he can kind of sit back and this is all going to happen. A great struggle and things can still change, but it’s a strange thing to grow up with knowing that you’re the heir to being the leader of the Resistance and therefore, the saviour of mankind. We meet him and he’s definitely someone who’s a survivor. He’s somebody who excels in times of crisis and in desperation. He’s the guy you want to go to. I’m not sure he’s the guy you’d want to hang out with — I don’t know if he’d know how to do that. His whole life, he’s dealt with being shot at, thinking that death is just around the corner.”
Terminator Salavation director McG is known for his bang, bang action sequences more than the storytelling. How do you think the audience will react to that?
“I think you have to recognize what is appropriate for each movie. McG, as he promised me beforehand, is attempting to create this movie into something he’s never done before. He is very much somebody who has a great desire to move forward for himself. The bar has definitely been raised by the likes of Chris Nolan with the Batman movies — of what is possible within these so-called action sci-fi comic book movies. You can have a great, fantastic human story in the midst of it without compromising anything. In fact, it really makes it fly. Terminator is more of a guttural kind of a movie. Always has been, versus Chris Nolan’s world of Batman. I think so let’s stick to that, but absolutely it should go beyond bang, bang, flash, flash. That entertains me for ten minutes and then I’m done.”
How do you put yourself in such a character, thinking it’s the end of the world and having to fight constantly? What do you do to put your mind there?
“I’m sure you’ve been in situations in which you initially find to be very obscure and things that you weren’t able to adjust to, whether it be some emotional things, changes in relationships, finding yourself in incredible hardship, in times which I have always found you adapt. We are human beings who are incredible surviving machines. They adapt to their new situation, so you cannot continually play that as something extraordinary and that something is a shock each day. Most people don’t last, but for John Connor this is normal. Growing up thinking he might die tomorrow is something he’s become accustomed to. In a much smaller way, I’ve found that in my life. I’ve been surprised at how quickly you adapt to situations that you think are catastrophic and you couldn’t possibly live through. Certain in a more appropriate example for John Connor speaking with special forces guys and military advisors that we had on the movie, it’s exactly the same. It is just stunning! It is really incredible that the human ability to survive, no matter what. And these men are in modern times had to deal with life and death every single day, friends die. They get accustomed to it.”
Do you still feel as passionate about every role you take on?
“Well certainly, not always. It is exciting because I recognize how many times I’ve messed up and how many times I’ve not. I have possibly believed that something is worthwhile and watched it and gone, ‘That’s awful!’ So there is always that element of a leap of faith, and the team work that’s involved. It truly is, you are only as good as your weakest link with any movie. There’s always a huge risk that you’re taking, but I enjoy that. Absolutely, I’m just as passionate about it. I’m still really surprised when people call up and say, ‘We want you to do a movie.’ I never imagined I’d get in this kind of position. The logistics is in my nature, I’ve seen growing up how quickly fortune in many ways disappears very fast and you never know what the hell is around the corner. So for me yeah, I dig into it in a way that I often feel like this might be the last bloody time I get to ever do it.”
Really?
“Yeah, I mean, look at it, it happens to so many people. I’m sure you’ve found that in your own life. You’ve seen other people who seem to be going well and as soon as they get comfortable, bang they’re done. Something happens and their life changes. They are no longer desired or wanted. Nobody wants to touch them.”
Are you living between England and Los Angeles these days?
“Not really no, my family is here. I call America my home now, I recently became a citizen. I’m a citizen of both countries, obviously, but I’ve been over here for longer than I ever was in England now and primarily with my family being here, and having an extended family out here.”
Do you have any plans to do a lighter movie in the future, like a romantic comedy?
“Look, Terminator is a lighter movie, don’t you think? It’s not Apocalypse Now. We intend people to have good fun — it’s a good summer movie watched with a crowd. I call that light. No matter how grim and dark you want to make it, it’s essentially a movie to have fun at.”
What was it like meeting the original Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, while making the movie?
“Actually, I didn’t meet him on the set. He didn’t have to expend one session… strangely, I bumped into him in a car park and we spoke about it a little bit. At that time, he hadn’t seen it, I understand he saw it a few days back. I haven’t spoken with him since then.”
Was Arnold excited for you?
“Absolutely, but with a healthy amount of skepticism. He was like, ‘What are you doing?’” [Laughs]
You really respect Arnold, don’t you?
“I think that it’s always admirable when you’re the originator. He was the first, so hats off to him. And you look at what the guy’s achieved. It’s phenomenal. So yeah, absolutely, I get a thrill out of seeing him when Conner faces off against the original TA-100.”
Have you heard anything about a third Batman with Christopher Nolan? Will he get to it when he finishes his next movie?
“You know, I’ve definitely learned my lesson there, I don’t mention anything until Chris has mentioned it first.”
Okay, final question: If you were stuck on a desert island, would you rather be with Batman or John Connor?
“Well, I wouldn’t want to be stranded with either of them. [Laughs] I don’t have to pick one. Does either of them have a gun? Shoot one of them and then whoever is left. Either way, I don’t think they’re good guys for hanging out with on a beach.”
