FAST FRIENDS

Their new film, ‘Ford v Ferrari’, has opened to rave reviews and early Oscar buzz, and the two stars had an absolute blast filming it

Two Oscar winners walk into a hotel room… Well, one, Christian Bale, arrives two minutes early, followed soon after by his Ford v Ferrari co-star Matt Damon. “I was 15 minutes early!” Bale, 45, jokingly claims when he sees Damon. “Christian ‘Always Early’ Bale, as you call me.”

Damon, 49, confirms that it was indeed Bale’s nickname on set. The two stars, whose hit new movie is based on the real-life story of the Ford’s attempt to beat its rival in the famous 24-hour Le Mans race, have an easy rapport. “We had a great time,” Damon says of shooting their first film together.

“He’s a good bloke,” adds Bale. “And a bloody good actor.” Over cappuccinos they chatted about their new friendship, faking on-screen fights and just how hard it is to impress their kids.

Matt, what was the first movie of Christian’s you saw?

DAMON Empire of the Sun. That made a hell of an impression. He said people confused it with The Last Emperor.

BALE Emperor, Empire. I’d get that all the time. “Oh, really? That was your first film, you were the what, little Chinese kid?”

Who’s the better driver?

DAMON He’s actually a great motorcycle rider. He races motorcycles.

BALE Way to not answer the question! DAMON That counts as a form of driving! You’ve spent much more time on the track. BALE Yes, but we both bloody love it.

Is there anything you’ve learned for a role that you’ve been able to use in real life? DAMON Fake fighting!

BALE I’ll win any fight as long as I could just miss you by an inch. Right?

DAMON Yeah, as long as you agree to react to my punches. You can’t just swing at me. I learned how to play golf for a movie, and, for the last 20 years of my dad’s life, we’d always play a round, just me and him walking around together. That turned into something that was really good.

Do you ever bring elements of your characters home?

BALE I did it more before I had kids, and yeah, my wife definitely had favourites. She really liked Trevor Reznik from The Machinist. She was like, “Ah, I miss him. He’s gone. You’re a d--k. I want you to be that character again.”

DAMON The kids are like, “Daddy, why are you talking like that?” It is confusing. I read that Michelle Williams will work on her accents while reading [to her daughter]. I’ve been doing that too, because then you have an excuse: It’s your book voice.

Which of your films are you most excited to share with your kids when they’re the right age?

BALE My [14-year-old] daughter did come to see Ford v Ferrari. Absolutely loved it. Prior to this, she’d only seen one film of mine before and thought it was really boring. DAMON It’s the same thing with mine [who are 20, 13, 11 and 9]; it’s total resistance. I am kind of trying to force them. It’s not working. BALE “Sit down and watch this!”

DAMON I’m like, “Are you sure you don’t want to see Good Will Hunting? You know your dad and Uncle Ben [Affleck] wrote it, right?” “Yeah, Dad, I know.” It’s like, nope. •

“I’d win any fight if I could miss you by an inch!”

— Christian Bale