Christian Bale Recalls Hilarious Moment with Donald Trump on ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Set
A resurfaced interview has reminded fans of a funny and confusing encounter Christian Bale had with Donald Trump while filming The Dark Knight Rises.
Bale played Batman, also known as Bruce Wayne, in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, which includes Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
During filming in 2011, the cast and crew were shooting in New York City. Some scenes were set in the lobby of Trump Tower, which was used as the main entrance for Wayne Enterprises.
At the time, Trump had not yet entered politics, but he invited Bale up to his office, creating a humorous situation.
Christian Bale shared the story for Variety in 2018, explaining how the meeting unfolded. “I met him, one time,” Bale told Variety’s Marc Malkin. “We were filming on ‘Batman’ in Trump Tower and he said, ‘Come on up to the office.'”
Bale explained that Trump seemed to think he was actually Bruce Wayne. “I think he thought I was Bruce Wayne,” Bale joked. “Because I was dressed as Bruce Wayne. So he talked to me like I was Bruce Wayne and I just went along with it, really. It was quite entertaining.”
He added that at the time, he had no idea Trump would later consider running for president. “I had no idea at the time that he would think about running for president,” Bale said.
The Dark Knight Rises filming took place in various international locations, and this New York shoot stands out because of Bale’s unusual encounter. Fans now look back on this story with amusement, imagining Bale, in full Bruce Wayne attire, chatting with a future president who was unaware he was speaking to an actor rather than a fictional character.
Bale’s recollection emphasizes the quirky, unexpected moments that happen behind the scenes of major movie productions. “It was quite entertaining,” Bale said, reflecting on the encounter, showing his humor and ability to go along with unusual situations.
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