To transform into the Frankenstein monster, Christian Bale spent hours in the makeup chair and devised an unexpected method of relieving tension — daily screams that gradually became a collective ritual for the entire film crew.
The actor, known for his radical transformations, revealed in an interview that during the filming of Maggie Gyllenhaal's "The Bride," he spent up to six hours in makeup, transforming into the Frankenstein monster. To cope with the torturous stress, Bale would scream at the top of his lungs every day.
"I was screaming like crazy every day. Just to let out the despair, all that restraint you have to show when you sit still for so long," the actor admitted. He emphasized that he did this alone so as not to disturb others and not to be thought of as crazy.
Over time, the ritual turned into a collective action: by the end of filming, the entire crew joined in Bale's screams. "By the finale, there were about 30 people who, upon hearing us, would run to the makeup trailer to scream too," the actor said.
Interestingly, his co-star in the film, Oscar nominee Jessie Buckley, spent significantly less time in makeup — only an hour and a half.
The film "The Bride" from Warner Bros, a reimagining of the classic 1935 film "Bride of Frankenstein," will be released on March 6, 2026.
Leave a comment