From Chris Rock on ‘Amsterdam’ Set: He Was ‘So Bloody Funny I Couldn’t Act’

Actor Christian Bale typically has no problem morphing into his characters on set. But on his latest film, David O. Russell’s Amsterdam, he ran into an obstacle: his co-star Chris Rock.
“I remember his first day, I was excited to meet him, I’m a big fan of his standup,” Bale told IndieWire. “Then he arrives, and he’s doing some things… David [O. Russell] told him to tell me some stories that I didn’t know he was gonna tell me, which is the way David works often. And I was loving it.”
The Oscar-winning actor, who famously takes extra measures to prepare for roles, said he doesn’t blame Rock. Distancing himself from his co-stars is just part of Bale’s process.
“I often meet these incredible people, but I isolate myself,” he said. “Because if I get to know people too much, I find I just don’t believe what I’m doing in the scene.”
Amsterdam premieres on October 7.