Christian Bale Talks “Anarchist” Batman, Heath Ledger

Christian Bale isn't the most talkative actor out there so, when he agrees to sit down for an interview, his fans make sure they pay attention – especially when he's talking about such a hyped project as “The Dark Knight Rises,” the third and final Batman installment from Chris Nolan.

In a new interview with Style magazine, cited by ScreenRant, Bale shares his thoughts on Batman and what kind of hero he believes the caped crusader is, and a topic he doesn't often approach: that of working with the late Heath Ledger.

Ledger's performance as The Joker in “The Dark Knight” earned him an Oscar in death, and is considered one of the most brilliant roles ever on screen.

Bale has never talked about working with the late actor, which only makes the snippet he's giving now all the more valuable.

They were friends, he says, but not because they simply happened to spend time together on the set of a movie. They were friends because they shared a common passion for the art of film and a deeply rooted desire to stay out of the spotlight.

“An exchange, never rivalry, and I like people who have obsessions, passions, people who do not always want to be in the limelight. Heath really was a lovely person, he loved his daughter dearly and he spent his life seeking answers,” Christian says.

“He was nothing to do with the commotion that broke out after his death. Nobody ever really is a cartoon superhero, even though superheroes are all the rage today,” Bale adds.

Speaking of superheroes, he also talks a bit about his own perception of Batman, the character he's been portraying in all three immensely successful films from writer / director Chris Nolan.

Batman is an anarchist at the core and, in this respect, he's not that different from the monsters he helps put away, except, of course, that he chooses to do good.

“For me, he’s an anarchist and a free spirit. He knows that there are parallels between him and his enemies because life is never stable – you always have to fight for it,” the actor shares.

“Keeping in mind that it may never be boring and that nobody is obliging you to behave like a superhero and to always have your muscles flexed and bulging,” Bale explains.

“The Dark Knight Rises,” which comes in the summer of 2012, will see Bale reprise his role as The Bat. The film also stars Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (pictured), Marion Cotillard, Anne Hathaway, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman.