Bale's financial woes

Christian Bale faced financial ruin just five years ago, when he was so deep in debt his house was repossessed.

Despite starring roles in 'American Pyscho' in 2000 and 'Reign of Fire' in 2002, the former child star reveals that in 2003 he wasn't earning enough money through acting to support himself and his wife Sibi Blazic.

He was rescued by his pay cheques for 2004's 'The Machinist' and 'Batman Begins' the following year, which helped lift him out of near-poverty and turn him into one of Hollywood's biggest earners.

And Bale insists he isn't alone in the movie industry, despite the misconception that all actors are multi-millionaires.

He tells Details magazine: "I don't believe that there's an actor alive who hasn't been in that position - and in that position many years after people recognise you and have a very wrong impression of what they imagine your life to be like."

When asked about his own encounter with financial ruin, Bale, reveals: "I know absolutely when it was. I'm just trying to decide how comfortable I am talking about it.

"(It's) only going back five years. Absolutely, yeah. House repossession - all that."

Bale adds that he accepted film roles, while broke, just to clear himself of debt - including one particular movie that he doesn't name: "I won't tell what it was, but it was following closely on the heels of (the repossession). It ended up that I found a great many experiences from it - but the motivation was completely keeping the head above water."