For the part he plays in “The Fighter,” where he walks in the shoes of a former boxing champion that battles a serious drug addiction, Christian Bale lost a lot of weight, as photos snapped of him on the set also reveal. As a matter of fact, he went down so many sizes that co-star Mark Wahlberg is actually worried he might have developed an eating disorder and is therefore urging him to seek specialized treatment, The National Enquirer says in the latest print edition.

Although Bale is no stranger to the most out of the ordinary physical transformations for a part, this time he has taken things too far, the report says. For “The Fighter,” he reportedly lost 40 pounds and what’s even worse is that he did not do it under medical supervision or following a strict diet, but rather by starving himself. If this is true, it’s no wonder Wahlberg is afraid Bale might be damaging his health to the point of no return.

“You gotta eat man. You’re messing with your health!” Wahlberg reportedly pleads with Bale. He, on the other hand, is relentless and will not hear of such things right now, an unnamed source, says. “Christian is a method actor. If a role calls for him to look like a drug dealer, or he has to play someone who hasn’t slept in a year, he’ll go without food to look the part. But the danger comes after he takes off that weight, and then eats everything in sight to put it back on for the next role. That kind of yo-yo dieting can be deadly. Mark and Christian are friends, and Mark is concerned about him.” the insider reveals for the Enquirer.

Moreover, even if the incredible transformation Bale has undertaken for the role has already generated Oscar talk, perhaps permanently damaging his health is where he should draw the line, Mark Wahlberg believes, according to the aforementioned tab. He needs to realize that nothing is worth the kind of risk like the one he’s exposing himself to and he needs to do it quick, before he harms himself even more by not eating.

“It’s crazy. Christian has been living on fruit and water. He’s emaciated. Besides eating practically nothing, he exercises a lot to keep the weight off. Mark feels Christian is taking the whole ‘in character’ thing too far. He’s afraid Christian is getting Karen Carpenter-thin, and he’s worried about his heart. He wants Christian to realize that acting is a job, and it’s not worth risking your health.” the same source says of Wahlberg.