Christian Bale is returning to theaters with a new role in the upcoming sci-fi film The Bride!. Ahead of its release, Bale spoke about one scene that prompted an unexpected comparison to his past work.
During an interview with BuzzFeed, a journalist noted that a moment in the movie reminded them of Bale’s early performance in the 1992 musical Newsies. The 52-year-old actor responded with humor but quickly clarified that the new project is very different from the musical he appeared in decades ago.
“I would never have thought anybody would relate Newsies to The Bride! that’s hysterical,” Bale told the outlet. “But wait, big difference. Newsies is a musical. This is not a musical.”
The film, which also stars Jessie Buckley, Jake Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, follows a sci-fi storyline directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal.
While discussing the moment that sparked the comparison, Bale explained that the movement seen in the scene is not meant to resemble a traditional musical number. Instead, he described it as an intense physical reaction tied to the storyline.
“This is something where it’s just a ridiculously energetic expression, with possession,” Bale explained. “Which you’ll understand, when you watch the whole movie, but it ain’t no musical at all, you know?”
Although the scene required some movement, Bale said he does not see himself returning to musical roles in the future. “I don’t think I’ll ever step foot in a musical again in my life,” he admitted. “Of course, never say never, but almost never say never on this one.”
Still, Bale acknowledged that taking part in that moment on set was enjoyable. He noted that the scene involved heavy footwear rather than typical dance attire and described the sequence as “spontaneous.”
“It was a wonderful moment, but it’s really one that just is a…spontaneous dance of protest that leads into serious protest as serious consequences,” Bale revealed.
Disney’s Newsies first premiered back in April 1992, starring Bale, David Moscow, Luke Edwards, Robert Duvall and Bill Pullman, to name a few.
In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Gyllenhaal discussed reuniting with Bale nearly 18 years after they worked together on The Dark Knight. This time, however, the 48-year-old Academy-Award winning actress collaborated with Bale as the director of the film rather than as a costar.
“I really liked him, and making that movie was amazing, but it wasn’t nearly as intimate as what was required here,” Gyllenhaal said, comparing the experiences.
“And so even when I called him and offered him the part … I mean, it had been so long since we’d worked together, I felt like what we needed to even immediately start talking about and thinking about and discussing and feeling together was so much deeper than what we’d gotten into the last time,” she added. “Even the first phone call felt like a whole new thing.”
The Bride! hit theaters on March 6 and also stars Penélope Cruz, Julianne Hough, John Magaro and Annette Bening.
