Apparently, even Batman can be jealous of another Batman!
According to the 40-year-old English actor Christian Bale, he was much surprised that Ben Affleck had been cast as the legendary masked hero Batman in Zack Snyder's new film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
The American Hustle actor said "I've got to admit initially, even though I felt that it was the right time to stop, there was always a bit of me going, 'Oh go on... Let's do another,'" Bale admitted to Empire magazine. He continued, "So when I heard there was someone else doing it, there was a moment where I just stopped and stared into nothing for half an hour."
Looks like Bale is now missing the Dark Knight days. Bale had gotten the role of the tycoon Bruce Wayne in the 2005 film Batman Begins, and then played the same character again in the 2008 film The Dark Knight as well as The Dark Knight Rises. Despite the actor's *ahem" initial shock of the new casting on his former role, Bale revealed to the magazine that he ultimately made peace with his own decision to no longer portray the superhero.
The actor said, "But I'm 40. The fact that I'm jealous of someone else playing Batman... I think I should have gotten over it by now." Bale has also been more than helpful to Affleck. Last fall, he told Access Hollywood on Affleck, "I wish him all the best. He's a very experienced actor and filmmaker and he'll make it his own... It should be past onto another actor and it will be again after him."
Bale had also added to Empire that he's offered the new Batman advice via e-mail. He said, "I haven't spoken with Ben, but I e-mailed him offering bits of advice that I learned the hard way. I would imagine he is doing everything he can to avoid anything that I did."
