Getting a huge movie role is far easier said than done in Hollywood, as there are many things that can come in the way of a performer getting a premier job. Once they are locked in place, things are usually good to go, but every now and again, a performer will lose their spot in favor of someone else.

Christian Bale is one of the best actors in the world right now, and he has been a monumental success in the business. However, there was once a point before filming American Psycho where things nearly fell apart on what wound up being a huge break for the star.

Let’s take a look back at what happened with Christian Bale nearly missing out on playing Patrick Bateman.

Bale Was Fired For The Film’s First Choice, Leonardo DiCaprio

American Psycho Bale
Via gq.com

Being unable to land the first choice for a role and going with someone else is a tale as old as time in Hollywood, and for the most part, things tend to work out just fine. One thing you don’t often see, however, is a performer getting the boot once the intended first choice becomes available to take on a role. This is precisely what happened to Christian Bale once Leonardo DiCaprio was available for American Psycho.

Before the film was made, there were many performers who were in contention for the role of Patrick Bateman, and it is clear looking back now that this role was going to be a huge opportunity for someone. Despite the competition, Leonardo DiCaprio was the man that was the first choice. However, DiCaprio was unavailable, and this allowed Christian Bale to land the role.

Unfortunately, Bale would soon find himself out of the role once DiCaprio was able to clear things up in his schedule to take on the role. Just like that, Bale was out of a job. Sure, he just as easily could have landed something else, but instead of just rolling over, Bale continued to prepare for the role as if nothing had happened.

“I’m English, so I never go to a gym, but for that role, it was part of the whole deal that I had to go. I still kept going down to the gym every day because I was going, ‘Oh, I’m making the film,’” Bale told The Wall Street Journal.

Related: Leonardo DiCaprio Turned Down A Role In This Iconic Halloween Film

DiCaprio Exits, Bale Returns

American Psycho Bateman
Via thenewdaily.com

Clearly, Bale knew something that everyone else didn’t, because down the line, DiCaprio would once again have to drop out of the role. Thanks to staying in shape and having already been cast in the role once before, Christian Bale was able to slide back into the fold to play Patrick Bateman once again.

The muscle that Bale had put on for the role was just one of the many times that he underwent a physical transformation to play a character. It may seem like the norm for him now, but American Psycho was the film that showed mainstream audiences the lengths that he would go through to bring a character to life.

Now, we did mention that DiCaprio’s schedule is what prevented him from starring as Patrick Bateman, but there have been rumors about something else coming into play. The film’s co-writer, Guinevere Turner, talked about her side of things in an interview.

Turner would reveal, “My friend, who had just spoken to Gloria Steinem, said that Gloria Steinem took Leonardo DiCaprio to a Yankees game. I believe, she said, ‘Please don’t do this movie. Coming off of ‘Titanic,’ there is an entire planet full of 13-year-old girls waiting to see what you do next, and this is going to be a movie that has horrible violence toward women. Soon after that, Leo dropped out, so who knows what really happened?”

Related: Are DC Animated Movies Better Than Their Live-Action Movies?

The Film Was A Success

American Psycho Bateman
Via knowyourmeme.com

Regardless of what actually happened, one thing is factual: American Psycho was a success and was instrumental in Christian Bale becoming a mainstream performer. Sure, he had experience already, but this film was pivotal in his career moving forward in a major way.

After American Psycho got the ball rolling for Bale, he was off to the races with huge roles. He was a huge part of the success of the Dark Knight trilogy, which remains the biggest success that he has had. On top of that, he has also been featured in huge films like American Hustle, The Big Short, The Fighter, Ford v Ferrari, and The Prestige. Not bad for the former star of Newsies.

As for that DiCaprio guy, well, let’s just say that things worked out just fine for him. Sure, he didn’t play Patrick Bateman, but he has turned into a legend in his own right.

Related: Does Matt Damon Regret Missing Out On ‘The Dark Knight’?

Christian Bale may have initially lost his chance at playing Patrick Bateman, but he remained focused and never stopped believing that the role would be his.

Next: Inside Amy Adams And Christian Bale’s Relationship