at 12:41 on July 22, 2008, EDT.
By Raphael G. Satter, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


Christian Bale, 34, leaves Belgravia Police Station in central London Tuesday. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/ Johnny Green/PA

LONDON - Batman star Christian Bale was arrested Tuesday over allegations of assaulting his mother and sister, police and British media said.

The 34-year-old actor spent four hours at a London police station before being released on bail. British media had reported that Bale's mother and sister complained he had assaulted them at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Sunday night, a day before the European premiere of his latest film, "The Dark Knight."

The Sun newspaper said police did not question the actor Monday because they did not want to interfere with the premiere of the movie.

Asked Tuesday whether Bale had been arrested, a London police spokesman did not refer to him by name but said: "A 34-year-old man attended a central London police station this morning by appointment and was arrested in connection with an allegation of assault."

The spokesman spoke on condition of anonymity because force policy did not authorize him to be identified. British police do not name suspects before they are formally charged.

The force later said in a statement that the man had been released on bail pending further inquiries and told to return on an unspecified date in September.

U.S.-based representatives for Bale didn't immediately return messages seeking comment. Repeated phone calls to Bale's London representative went unanswered.

Wales-born Bale first made a splash as the child star of Steven Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun" in 1987. His screen credits also include "American Psycho," "The Machinist" and "Batman Begins."

In "The Dark Knight," Bale reprises the role of wealthy playboy Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting alter-ego Batman, a brooding vigilante superhero still scarred by the murder of his parents.

The Warner Bros. film, which stars the late Heath Ledger as Batman's nemesis The Joker, took in a record $158.4 million at the box office in its opening weekend in the U.S. last week.

-

Warner Bros. is a unit of Time Warner Inc.


©The Canadian Press, 2008

Wow, I wonder how it all started. Articles aren't really saying much, detail-wise. I hope the media stress didn't get to him.

that's too bad. I like him as an actor, but what he did for The Machinist made me think he's not totally sane.

NDRU said:

He had to bulk up immediately afterward for Batman Begins. Seems pretty unhealthy.....but I guess he takes acting seriously. What about actors who have to play those with extreme mental illnesses. I'm not sure if they are really that good or have some underlying illness that makes it easier for them to portray.

AnckSuNamun said:

DeNiro used to do that, but I think after he played Al Capone he decided it was too dangerous to keep doing it.

I remember hearing a quote from Nick Nolte, when they asked how he prepared to play a heroin addict. He said: "I took heroin!"

What if they have to play a murderer?
[Edited 7/22/08 12:18pm]

Shit, you never know what they did to set him off.

Family can be assholes more than anyone.

You never know.
.

AlienX2050 said:

true, that's what I tell my girlfriend when I assault her.

The assault they're talking about was only verbal. I guess in England you can be charged with verbal assualt. Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

It was probably just an argument. How many of us do that?

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Damn I always knew Brits were soft, but jeez!

NDRU said:

They're making it sounds like Christian went off on his mom and sister, physically.

luv4u said:

What the fuck???? I would expect this Hollywood shit in. . . Hollywood, not London.

I found this on Yahoo. So he's starring in YET another revived and regurgitated Hollywood franchise.

they probably were like, MF'er you're not really Batman, i'll whup your ass like the Joker.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

yeah that's what I thought. Imagine, families not allowed to yell at each other

Did he hurl his Batarang?

They probably called him "The" Batman to which he replied "IT'S JUST FUCKING BATMAN YOU STUPID BITCHES!!"

NDRU said:

Well even here in the states if they take it serious enough you can't even say "I'm gonna kill you." How many people don't say that when they're fist fighting.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

if that was illegal in america, i'd have fried in the chair by now.

Anxiety said:

Assault in the U.S. doesn't have to be physical. Assault can be a threat. Assault and battery is when you observe someone about to strike you and then they actually do. If you did not see it coming, then it is simply battery.
For assault you only have to fear for your physical safety and unable to withdraw to a safe place.

I bet they cracked on the lisp, and he lost it.

From Black Law Dictonary, Eighth Edition (which I just happen to have lying around the house.)

ASSAULT-1. the threat or use of force on another that causes that person to have a reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact; the act of putting another person in reasonable fear or apprehension of an immediate battery by means of an act amounting to an attempt or threat to commit a battery.
2. An attempt to commit battery, requiring the specific intent to cause physical injury.
[Edited 7/22/08 18:24pm]

SUPRMAN said:

Stay on his good side, y'all...

SCNDLS said:

Maybe they were making fun of his underbite.





(I know, I know)

Anxiety said:

for all my future criiiiime owh

applekisses said:

Great minds think alike...

ThreadBare said:

We're bad!

Oh shoot...I just saw that you said something about the lisp!


( )
[Edited 7/22/08 22:13pm]

there is supposed to be a history of family problems, fallings out etc.

his mum & sis live in the uk.

he must be feeling kind of frustrated at the moment though.
usually most of the hype of a batman movie goes to batman, not the other characters.