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Rise to Fame
Christian Bale didn't become famous by playing the charming lead. He broke through as a creepy, charismatic serial killer in 2000's American Psycho, right when the internet was starting to appreciate dark, unconventional protagonists. Before that, he was a child actor who got a spotlight in Spielberg's Empire of the Sun, but it didn't stick like Patrick Bateman did. That role proved he wasn't afraid to go all in, which became his calling card. When he donned the cape for Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins in 2005, he cemented his status as a serious actor who could also anchor a blockbuster, a rare combo at the time.
In the Spotlight
He's still the actor everyone talks about when extreme body transformations come up. Bale gets intense for roles, often to a degree that makes you wonder if it's healthy. He's known for disappearing into characters, so much so that his own public persona is almost nonexistent, which is probably how he likes it. Sure, there was that infamous Terminator Salvation rant that went viral in the late aughts, revealing a glimpse of his on-set intensity, but it almost just solidified his 'serious artist' image. He consistently picks challenging roles, maintaining a reputation for commitment that few of his peers can match.
Side Notes
Before his dark turn, he did a turn in the Disney musical Newsies in the early 90s, which has a surprisingly fervent cult following. He often credits his early exposure to filmmaking as a child for giving him a deep understanding of the craft, not just the acting part. He's also fiercely private, living mostly out of the public eye despite his A-list status. It's a calculated move that probably helps him shed those intense character skins and keep a modicum of normalcy, or at least his version of it.