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UPDATED: Remember when American Psycho actor Christian Bale reportedly flipped out on a movie set a few months back? Inevitably, an audio tape of the cringeworthy meltdown has leaked on the net - and it's a shocker.
News reports claimed that Bale threw a wobbler on the set of Terminator Salvation at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico last July, and behaved like a total diva.
Video: Trailer for Terminator: Salvation
It was believed the actor threatened to stop production of the Terminator sequel after director of photography (DP), Shane Hurlbut, allegedly ruined a scene by walking on set during filming. And that's when Bale reportedly lost the plot.
In newly-released audio of the heated exchange, posted on TMZ, Bale can be heard launching into a lengthy, expletive-packed tirade against the director of photography. He uses the kind of language that would make a fish wife blush.
"I wanna kick your f***** a**!" Bale growls, followed by "I want you off the f***** set you p****!" After the DP apologises, the actor retorts, "Don't just be sorry - think for one f***** second. What the f*** are you doing?!
"What the f*** is it with you? What don't you f***** understand? Give me a f***** answer!"
After the DP explains why he gate crashed the scene - to adjust a light - Bale fires back with a sarcastic "Ohhhhh, good for you!"
"How was it? [the light] I hope it was f***** good, because it's useless now!"
Capped off with "we're done professionally, man." Figures. It'll be a cold day in hell before Bale and this DP work together again.
After dishing out his bevy of F-bombs, Bale then threatens to walk off the set if the guy isn't fired.
While the Bale-isitc incident was widely reported in July, only now has the incriminating audio seen the light of day. And it's a doozy. Talk about a meltdown. Three cheers for the interwebnet!
Holy rage, Batman!
Listen to Bale's brutal F-bomb tirade below. But be warned, it's graphic and NSFW. You have been warned.
(NSFW audio) Bale's F-bomb tirade - WARNING: contains explicit and graphic language
TMZ reports that film execs sent the tape to an insurance company in case Bale followed through with his threat and walked off the set.
Freak out
This isn't the first time we've had flashes of Bale's temper.
Remember there was that curious incident last year when Bale was arrested in connection with an alleged verbal assault on his mother - he kicked off after she reportedly insulted his wife. It transpires that his profane tirade on the Terminator set happened only a few days before his arrest. Bale was obviously not in a happy place at the time.
Time for some anger management, perchance? What do you think?
Granted, making movies is undoubtedly a stressful business, and an actor is entitled to hitch a ride on a mood elevator every once in a while. But berating and insulting a colleague in front of others like that probably wasn't the best course of action.
But will the public display of anger tarnish his image? Doubt it. Bale's an intense guy, and he's well-known for his intense performances – it's part of the Bale package. Tantrum or not, he's still a great actor.
UPDATE: It was only a matter of time before Bale's potty-mouthed tirade morphed into a dance tune.
Los Angeles impresario RevoLucian has taken inspiration from the rant, which has become an overnight internet hit, and turned it into a pumping dance tune. Get ready to groove to the F-bomb, rant remix:
"Do you want me to go and trash your f****' lights? Do you want me to trash 'em?"
Audio: Bale's potty-mouthed tirade: the remix - WARNING: Graphic and explicit language (NSFW)
The assistant director who worked with Bale on the Terminator movie has leapt to defend the actor.
Assistant director and associate producer, Bruce Franklin, tells E! that Bale is a "consummate professional," and just had a bad day.
"If you are working in a very intense scene and someone takes you out of your groove...It was the most emotional scene in the movie," said Franklin.
"And for him to get stopped in the middle of it. He is very intensely involved in his character. He didn't walk around like that all day long. It was just a moment and it passed."
"This was my second movie with Christian, and it has always been a good experience with him," added Franklin.
"He is so dedicated to the craft. I think someone is begging to make some noise about this, but I don't think it's fair. The art of acting is not paint by numbers, it's an art form."
No word as yet from Bale's rep. Stay tuned for updates...
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