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ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Was there a conversation about having a stunt man do the scene where you're being dragged by the water buffalo?
CHRISTIAN BALE: I didn't get onto this movie to have people do everything. Of course, there are moments where professionals are telling me that it really is hazardous and it's going to stop filming. So in those moments I'll say, ''Okay.'' But with almost everything, I always push it just to see if they're being too safe. I always say, ''No, I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it.'' And I really wait until people have to stand in front of me and shout at me, ''No, you cannot do it.'' Otherwise, I know that I can and I enjoy that. And the buffalo was nothing; we did that all morning and I didn't really care.
I understand most of the extras were locals. What were they like?
It was funny, the local villagers didn't understand quite what we were doing. I was using one of their houses to get changed in, and they would come to me in between takes and ask me why was I letting everybody treat me that way, I should stand up for myself. I shouldn't let them tie me up to a buffalo and drag me behind it. They were concerned that I was being bullied by the film crew and didn't understand why I didn't say no.
Were you able to speak with any of them?
It was kind of lingua franca, a sort of just adopted sign language and laughing and pointing and juggling. They took to us after a while. There was definite suspicion and confusion to start with, and then after a while, I just think they thought that we were quite ridiculous and quite amusing as well.
Did your experience on Rescue Dawn give you a new appreciation for people who are fighting for their country?
A new appreciation, no. Not a new appreciation.
Or reinforced how you felt prior...
I learned about Dieter's opinion, about his reaction. He was a very unusual character. He was bombed and shot at by American fighter planes, and it made him want to become a pilot. I wouldn't expect that to be the normal reaction. Nothing about Dieter was normal.
Steve Zahn is such a chameleon of an actor. When one watches this, it's sort of hard to believe that he was also in You've Got Mail. And he's just as persuasive in both roles.
He's extraordinary, and he was great company, in the rice paddies, and the jungles, wading through rivers with lizards and snakes going past us. The whole movie was a one-liner to us. We were in hysterics most of the time. We really were, and part of it I think was a little bit going crazy. But when it's a shared craziness, it's very funny and you can see it happening. He was great company, and like you said, he can do any kind of movie.
What's your personal take on Rescue Dawn's Oscar chances? For a lot of people like EW's Lisa Schwarzbaum, yours was a great performance.
You know, it remains that. It's there for all time for people to look at it. And it is what it is. And [thinking about a possible Oscar nomination] ain't keeping me up at night.
I've been told that you can't say much about Terminator, but is there anything you can say about what attracted you to the project? Were you a fan of the franchise growing up?
I haven't ever heard of it.
In between Batman and the movie you've never heard of, you've taken on what some would say are prestige films with Rescue Dawn and I'm Not There. How conscious are you of molding your career so that it's a lasting one?
There's no molding. I just do what is in front of me and what interests me. And I get lucky.
Okay. Any last words on Rescue Dawn?
Last words sound like I'm going to die. [Laughs]
