Actor Christian Bale believes the “science is settled” on man-made climate change and fears that Donald Trump’s criticism of the press might lead the U.S. on a path to dictatorship.
While promoting his role as an American Associated Press reporter in The Promise, a $100 million historical drama about the Ottoman government’s role in the Armenian Genocide, Bale told the Daily Beast that society is in a “post-truth era.”
“People are questioning facts, which is nuts,” the Oscar-winner said. “I liken it to the ‘debate’ on climate change. There’s no debate! The science is settled. But people continue to do this smokescreen and pretend that there’s a debate, you know?”
“And I think the Armenian Genocide is the same in that there is no debate,” Bale continued. “The evidence is in. And hopefully what is needed is not more hostility—it’s healing, it’s help, and of course there’s the complication of reparations and the desire not to admit that your country is born out of one of the worst atrocities known to mankind.”
Asked about how a free press is always constrained under tyrannical dictatorships, Bale said it’s “worrying, isn’t it, for us right now?”
“It’s like we’re watching somebody reading a ‘Dictatorship for Dummies’ book,” the American Psycho star said.
Bale had few details to offer about his rumored role as former Vice President Dick Cheney in an upcoming biopic about the former vice president’s life from writer-director Adam McKay.
“Well, we’re very early days. I’m sure, since you appreciate Adam, you can see this will be a very unusual film,” Bale said. “I don’t know if I would have considered this at all if it was with any other director, but you saw what he did with The Big Short. If there’s anyone that’s going to make it, he’s the guy to make it.”
The Promise opened in theaters on April 21. The film stars Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac, and Shohreh Aghdashloo.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson
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