I toiled with posting this, but it’s already made the rounds in many venues, and ultimately I felt if it was something I was happy to see, then it would likely be the same for you. Christian Bale, who has shown both a heated temper and sympathetic resolve, has once again proven his integrity, heart, and good nature by chatting on the phone with an 8-year-old boy named Zach, who is a huge Batman fan and is currently battling Leukemia. Video of the phone call was put on Zach’s YouTube channel, where you can also see the strong-willed boy open up a bunch of Batman gifts sent to him by THE DARK KNIGHT RISES star.
We are constantly reminded of the ugly things in life with the hits coming at a rapid-fire rate, but it’s always heartwarming and invigoratiing to be reminded that not only do good people do good things, but also good people we look up to. Bale doesn’t broadcast any of his kind deeds and I find that to be a humbling attribute of the actor. I share it only because of my deep respect for him and to give a shout out to young Zach, a movie geek in the making. As a father, movie nerd, and all-around purveyor of good will, seeing a member of the film community use their fame as something more than pushing a political agenda or cause-of-the-week turns me into a sappy mess.
You’ll have to crank up the audio a bit to hear Bale talking to Zack. Check out the video of Zach opening his Batman swag from Bale afterwards to give you the one-two punch of hope and sadness all in one.
Stop by and like Zach’s Facebook page and send him some well wishes if you so desire. I’m sure every bit of support helps. As for Bale, when he isn’t paying his respects to those in need of a boost, he’s busy making more movies, including the upcoming OUT OF THE FURNACE, Terrance Malicks KNIGHT OF CUPS, and David O. Russell‘s next project, tentatively titled AMERICAN BULLSHIT.