We all enjoy a good laugh, but there are times we just aren't supposed to laugh. Now imagine trying to keep it together while working with a person who gets paid to be funny.
Even A-list actor Christian Bale had a hard time maintaining his composure when working with Chris Rock on the upcoming film Amsterdam.
Bale told GMA's James Longman he is such a fan of the comedian he had a bit of a problem not fanboying over his costar in the crime epic.
So much so he had to "isolate" himself from Rock.
\u201c"There was absolutely no ego. Everyone was there to put their best foot forward for their fellow actor."\n\nMargot Robbie, Christian Bale and Rami Malek talk about working with the star-studded cast of #Amsterdam -- including Robert De Niro, Mike Myers and Chris Rock!\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1663850407
Bale also discussed how difficult Rock is to work with—for all the best reasons—in a recent interview with IndieWire.
“Chris is so bloody funny and I found that I couldn’t act, because I was just becoming Christian laughing at Chris Rock."
“So I had to go to him, I went ‘mate, I love talking to you, and we have mutual friends, but I can’t do it anymore."
"Because David didn’t ask me to make this film so he could just watch me giggle. He wants me to be Burt, and I’m forgetting how to be Burt.’"
Bale—famously a "method" actor—also told IndieWire he frequently has to "isolate" himself from his fellow actors to do his job to his best ability. But performing alongside Rock presented its own particular challenges.
As he put it to GMA's Longman:
"I've spent six years working on this and I'm gonna blow it all in two days! So I did go to Chris and say, 'I can't talk to you anymore.'
On Twitter, many fans found Bale's struggles with Rock instantly relatable.
\u201cCelebrities are just like us\u201d— Doctor Sleepytime Tea (@Doctor Sleepytime Tea) 1664232212
\u201c\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\u201d— \ud835\udc00\ud835\udc1b\ud835\udc28\ud835\udc2e \ud835\udc0a\ud835\udc1a\ud835\udc26\ud835\udc1a\ud835\udc25 (@\ud835\udc00\ud835\udc1b\ud835\udc28\ud835\udc2e \ud835\udc0a\ud835\udc1a\ud835\udc26\ud835\udc1a\ud835\udc25) 1664295449
\u201cgiven the events of the last few years, i was genuinely surprised when i got to the end of this sentence and his isolation wasn\u2019t due to plague or violence\u201d— internetryan (@internetryan) 1664231180
\u201cVariety: Can a man be too funny? For Christian Bale, the answer is yes. https://t.co/9EfrZP5M2B\u201d— Chris Hastings (@Chris Hastings) 1664273441
\u201cChris Rock is really testing these famous Hollywood hot heads. https://t.co/s8Gx860bzs\u201d— Logan Moy (@Logan Moy) 1664227633
\u201c\ud83e\udd29\u201d— Asad Ayaz (@Asad Ayaz) 1663950419
\u201cThis looks good.\u201d— Stag School (@Stag School) 1663850878
Rock likely wasn't the only actor people struggled not to get the giggles from on the set of Amsterdam.
The crime caper's all-star cast also includes Mike Myers, along with Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldana and Rami Malek.
The film comes out on October 7.