Christian Bale has revealed that he cut contact with Chris Rock while on the set of David O. Russell's new film "Amsterdam" because the comedian was hindering his performance.
Bale is known for going to extreme lengths to get into the mindset of his characters but during an interview with IndieWire, Bale explained that his decision to stop talking to Rock was not as sinister as it sounded. In fact, it was because of their blossoming friendship that he was forced to take drastic measures.
"I remember his first day, I was excited to meet him; I'm a big fan of his standup," Bale said. "Then he arrives, and he's doing some things. … David [O. Russell] told him to tell me some stories that I didn't know he was gonna tell me, which is the way David works often. And I was loving it."
At issue was that Bale could not get into the mindset of his character, Burt Berendsen, because Rock kept making him laugh. In the film, Bale plays one of three friends who witness a murder in the 1930s, are framed for it, and uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history, according to IMDB.
In order to prepare for the role, Bale needed to channel his serious side. This is why he eventually had to cut ties with Rock on the set.
"Chris is so bloody funny and I found that I couldn't act, because I was just becoming Christian laughing at Chris Rock," he said. "So I had to go to him, I went 'Mate, I love talking to you, and we have mutual friends, but I can't do it anymore. Because David didn't ask me to make this film so he could just watch me giggle. He wants me to be Burt, and I'm forgetting how to be Burt.' "
Further explaining his decision, Bale admitted that he viewed isolation as a necessary part of his acting process.
"I often meet these incredible people, but I isolate myself," he said. "Because if I get to know people too much, I find I just don't believe what I'm doing in the scene."