What methods were used to make Christian Bale look so much like Dick Cheney in the film "Vice"?
Its pretty well known the lengths that Christian Bale has gone to in the past to play certain roles including both losing and gaining weight. The primary example I can think of being The Machinist (2004) in which he ate a diet of a can of tuna and an apple per day in order to lose 63 pounds.
Having just seen the trailer for the upcoming movie Vice (2018) in which he is set to play Dick Cheney, I have to say that I'm kind of amazed at the transformation of the actor to look like Dick Cheney. I in fact could not tell who it was until the trailer displayed Christian Bale's name on screen.
The other thing that came to my mind was the amazing transformation of Gary Oldman into Churchill for Darkest Hour (2017) which was largely due to prosthetics as well as, of course, phenomenal acting.
So, I'm left to wonder how much of Bale's transformation into Dick Cheney is due to prosthetics and makeup and how much is due to him going through a similar physical transformation as he's done for previous roles?
Best Answer
Yes, he gained weight, did specific exercises, shaved his head, and used make-up artists.
To shape-shift accordingly, Bale has said that he shaved his head, bleached his eyebrows, and gained 40 pounds. (Co-star Carell also said that Bale did specific exercises to thicken his neck.) This January, Bale waved off any praise for the extreme character-preparation, telling Yahoo that he was just trying to provide “a blank canvas through which these incredible [hair and makeup] artists could create the various ages of Cheney. . . . They would shave my head every day, bleach and pluck eyebrows.”
Pictures about "What methods were used to make Christian Bale look so much like Dick Cheney in the film "Vice"?"
How much weight did Christian Bale gain for Dick Cheney?
In 2018 Christian Bale reunited with "Big Short" director Adam McKay to portray Dick Cheney in "Vice." According to the Evening Standard, Bale gained 40 pounds for the role, even though he was told it wasn't necessary because of the advanced prosthetics and makeup.When did Christian Bale play Dick Cheney?
Bale played the former Vice President in 2018's Vice, a role he picked up a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama for. Now, speaking to Yahoo Entertainment, Bale has revealed that Cheney sent a second-hand message to him via an unusual route to express his distaste for the film.Who played Dick Cheney?
Christian Bale's performance as Dick Cheney in Adam McKay's \u201cVice\u201d impressed Oscar voters earlier this year (it earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role), but it most definitely did not make a fan out of the former Vice President himself.Where is Christian Bale now?
Bale has lived in Los Angeles since the 1990s. He holds US citizenship.Christian Bale on how he transformed into Dick Cheney in 'Vice'
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Yan Krukov, Amina Filkins, Liza Summer, George Milton