Christian Bale Thanks Satan For Giving The Inspiration To Play Dick Cheney, And The Church Of Satan Loves It
Christian Bale thanked Satan for giving him the inspiration to play Dick Cheney in Vice, and the Church of Satan — along with the rest of the internet — loves it.
The actor took home a Golden Globe on Sunday for his portrayal of the former vice president in the latest historical comedy from director Adam McKay. As he accepted the award for best actor in a comedy or musical, Bale gave a shoutout to the dark lord himself for giving the inspiration to play the much-hated political figure.
“Thank you to Satan for giving me inspiration for playing this role,” Bale said, via Variety.
Christian Bale hasn’t shied away from his disdain for the former vice president and for the trials he went through in preparing for the role. Bale gained an estimated 40 pounds to match the heavy-set Cheney, and said it was very different than past weight swings for roles in his younger years.
“It was the first time in my life that I realized I had to do this in a smart way,” he told CBS News in late 2017. “I’ve lost weight, I’ve gained weight, [but] I never went to a nutritionist in my life. It was the first time that I said, ‘You know what? I better really do this the right way.'”
It’s not clear if the intense nutrition regimen or the massive weight gain played a role in Christian Bale’s apparent frustration with playing Dick Cheney, but his sentiment seemed to really strike a chord online. Bale’s quip at the Golden Globe Awards attracted some viral attention on the internet, with many praising his dig at the former vice president.
Is Christian Bale the first actor to ever thank Satan during their #GoldenGlobes acceptance speech? pic.twitter.com/SG6W4W4U4T
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) January 7, 2019
Christian Bale just thanked "Satan, for the inspiration" during his acceptance speech for playing Dick Cheney in 'Vice' and I am DED #GoldenGlobes
— shauna (@goldengateblond) January 7, 2019
Others noted that it was good to remind Americans of the evils they believed Cheney was responsible for in directing the United States into war, with some saying his faults have been lost in an era of Donald Trump.
Bale’s line also got some praise from the official Church of Satan, which noted that his Golden Globe victory was a good reflection of the church’s ideals of “pride, liberty, and individualism.” The church issued a tweet shortly after Bale’s win congratulating him.
To us, Satan is a symbol of pride, liberty and individualism, and it serves as an external metaphorical projection of our highest personal potential. As Mr. Bale's own talent and skill won him the award, this is fitting. Hail Christian! Hail Satan! https://t.co/ILuK8TFZXi
— The Church Of Satan (@ChurchofSatan) January 7, 2019
Fans of his sharp critique of an unpopular Republican could see more of that in the future. In his acceptance speech, Christian Bale hinted that he now has the market cornered on playing “charisma-free a**holes,” and suggested his next role could be as Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
