To make his amazing performance in “American Hustle” extra real Christian Bale gained 50 pounds. As the fictitious Irving Rosenfeld he sports not only a crazy toupee but a huge fat pink stomach that he shows off several times. It’s so hideous I thought it was a prosthetic. (At last night’s premiere screening there was a gasp when Bale exposed it.)
“He got so sick he had to go on Lipitor,” a “Hustle” insider told me last night. “He really got sick.”
Bale looked pretty healthy on Friday at the Monkey Bar, where “American Hustle” had a private celebration with director-writer David O. Russell, cast members Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Alessandro Nivola, Paulie Herman as well as Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick and a ton of other A-listers.
Most of them were back last night for the premiere at the Ziegfeld except for Bale–who returned to shooting a film– and Jennifer Lawrence, who’s gone back to the “Hunger Games Mockingjay” set.
Famed director James Toback announced: “This is the greatest movie ever.” Oscar winners Barry Levinson and Paul Haggis concurred.
Here’s the deal: “American Hustle” is now the front runner for the Academy Award. Russell will be up for Best Director and Screenplay. Bale and Adams are good for Best Actor and Actress. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are cinches for Best Supporting Actor and Actress noms. Last February they were up for Best Actor and Actress in “Silver Linings Playbook,” also from Russell. She won.
“I think she’ll be nominated this time,” Brad told me at dinner at Cipriani 42nd St last night– a swanky, swellegant party following the Ziegfeld. “She’s really got it.” He does too.
I did meet Cooper’s 21 British girlfriend last night, Alice “Suki” Waterhouse. He calls her Alice. So does her father, a famed British plastic surgeon, whom I met on Friday night. They are lovely people. Alice is a gem. She also a good sense of humor. She told me: “If we get married”–and no, it’s not happening, calm down– “I’d be Alice Cooper!”
More on “American Hustle” imminently. Let me tell you: you can’t see enough of this movie. For one thing, the soundtrack is a gas– all Seventies hits, perfectly woven into the script. Music supervisor Susan Jacobs did an incredible job.
And there are a ton of memorable appearances including a cameos from legendary singer Jack Jones (blink and you’ll miss him, but he’s there). Great supporting appearances from Jack Huston, Colleen Camp, Elisabeth Rohm, Shea Wigham, Anthony Zerbe, et al. There’s an Easter egg too– Russell included Dicky Ecklund, subject of his great movie “The Fighter,” with his son, Sean.
