Perhaps more than any other high-profile actor in recent memory, Christian Bale has changed his physique to fit specific roles. For The Machinist he dieted until he was practically skeletal, and then he did the same again for David O. Russell's The Fighter, which was after he had been bulking up for Christopher Nolan's Batman movies. Just a couple of years ago he packed on the pounds once more for American Hustle, and it seems he's done putting his health at risk like that.
According to Deadline, Bale has dropped out of Michael Mann's upcoming Enzo Ferrari biopic, citing concerns over the weight he would need to gain for the role, and the quick turnaround to get so far out of shape. Paramount is investing a lot of money into Mann's film on the legendary carmaker, up to $80M, and the search is on for another A-list star to take Bale's place. The film is based on Brock Yates' book, "Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races”, with a script recently rewritten by Mann and David Rayfield.
Presumably they'll find someone who is
