Christian Bale (Batman in Dark Knight) (WENN image)

Batman trauma for Christian Bale

Thursday, 29 May 2008

Christian Bale had to practice meditation to put on Batman's batsuit – because he didn't want claustrophobia to cost him the role.

The movie star admits he was terrified the first time he had to be encased in the iconic black bodysuit and he had to overcome his fears.

He explains, "I was standing on the back lot where they were creating the suit, and I had a few minutes to myself... just thinking, `This isn't going to work. I'm claustrophobic, I can't breathe, I'm getting a headache already, and this is all going to go very badly.'"

So Bale had to learn to relax and "breathe" as handlers strapped him into the batsuit.

Christian Bale as Batman

He tells Details magazine, "I just said to myself, `Breathe deeply for a few minutes. Try this out. Don't run around yelling and making an ass of yourself trying to pull the whole thing off.'

"I wasn't going to get it off by myself. It takes three people. I just had flashes of what an asshole I would feel like saying, `Well, I wasn't able to play that character, because I panicked every time I got in the suit.'"

Batman and the Joker

The Welsh star is currently filming the new Terminator film, 'Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins.

Billions of dollars are being spent on a trilogy of Terminator films starring Bale as John Connor, the one man who can save the world from Skynet and the Terminators.

Victot Kubicek of film company Halcyon, was thrilled to get Bale to play the lead. He told the BBC: "Christian was our first choice and he's a big fan of The Terminator, so we're very lucky.

"But with Batman he's already done the whole franchise thing, so we weren't sure he'd respond."

Kubicek's business partner added: "He read the script and he loved it, so he's signed on for all three."

It is not known whether Arnold Schwarzenegger will be playing the Terminator in the new films.

Image Credit: WENN
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