Neil Hughes
Though Christian Bale was in final talks to play Steve Jobs in an upcoming biopic, the actor has reportedly decided to pass on the part, as he allegedly did not feel he was the right person to play the iconic figure on film.
Citing unnamed sources, The Hollywood Reporter revealed on Monday that Bale, an Academy Award winning actor, has exited the project. No potential replacements were named, though director Danny Boyle, himself an Oscar winner as well, is in Hollywood to meet with actors for the movie.
"Sources say Bale, after much deliberation and conflicting feelings, came to the conclusion he was not right for the part and decided to withdraw," the report said.
Bale is the second high-profile actor to circle the project, only to ultimately exit. Previously, Leonardo DiCaprio was targeted for the part, but he reportedly passed on the role earlier this month.
Previous names suggested for the part included Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Bradley Cooper. The anticipated film has had a number of issues in production, as director David Fincher also abandoned the project after demanding $10 million in upfront payment and full control over marketing.
The only person confirmed to be onboard is Oscar winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who has penned the screenplay based on Walter Isaacson's official Jobs biography. The movie is said to feature three scenes leading up to Jobs's introduction of key product unveilings: the original Mac, NeXT, and the iPod.
Last week it was said that actor Seth Rogan was in final talks to play the role of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. It's unclear if Bale's exit from the picture might have an effect on other actors linked to the project.
Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Amber Neely
62 Comments
Oh well. I was really eager to see him trash some lights.
Well that's a shame...
What about Zach Galifinakis? He could play the version of Jobs played by that Mike Daisey dude.
Seth Rogan as Woz sounds truly horrible.
Get Larry Page to do it. He really wants to be Jobs.