Christian Bale is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, thanks to his iconic roles over the years. His most notable performance was as a serial killer in the film “American Psycho,” but did you know he was underpaid in the film?

In an interview with GQ Magazine, the actor recalled his time working on the 2000 film, claiming that he wasn’t the first choice to play the iconic character of Patrick Bateman.

Billy Crudup and Leonardo DiCaprio were reportedly among the actors considered for the role.

Bale recalled his pay in the film when he was getting ready in a trailer, and the makeup artists laughed at him because he was paid less than any of them.

Although he did not reveal his salary in the film, he described it as “the absolute minimum.”

One of the main reasons he accepted the job despite the low pay was that he was afraid his house would be repossessed.

Despite having a large fan base, DiCaprio was not cast because director Mary Harron believed he would be distracting in the film.

She worked hard for Bale to get the job, even though it meant risking her job.

Except for the director, no one wanted him to be the lead actor, so the production told him they would only make the film if they could pay him a certain amount.

He added:

“I was prepping for it when other people were playing the part. I was still prepping for it. And, you know, it moved on. I lost my mind. But I won it back.”

Despite being underpaid for one of his most memorable performances as an actor, he went on to star in major motion pictures such as “Little Women” and “Batman.”

According to Wealthy Gorilla, Christian Bale has a net worth of $120 million as of October 2022.

His first appearance in front of the camera was in an advertisement for a fabric softener in 1982. The actor’s first big break came in 1984 when he co-starred in the play “The Nerd” with Rowan Atkinson.