Christian Bale has once again proven his dedication to his craft, this time learning how to play drums in two weeks in preparation for his latest role in the financial crisis set drama The Big Short.
Playing real life hedge fund manager Michael Burry, who made millions by short-selling stocks during the financial crisis and who liked to blow off steam by playing drums, Bale enlisted the help of drum teacher Scott Wittenburg as well as the music of Pantera and Mastodon to prepare for the role.
“Of all the students I’ve taught, he was certainly not the best drummer, but one of my best students,” Wittenburg told Pitchfork. “I gave him ‘homework’ and he would come back doing it like he had been doing it for a long time. It was obvious he had put his hours in.”
Listening to nothing but Pantera and Mastodon over the two weeks he spent studying with Wittenburg, by the end of it he was good enough to play the double kick along with Pantera’s ‘By Demons Be Driven’.
“It was a wonderful crash course,” Bale told Screenrant about learning the instrument.
More than just a new skill though, learning the drums helped Bale understand the character. “[Burry’s] brain is on fire so much that death metal calms him,” he said.
You can watch the full interview here below.
