Star Treks: Christian Bale

"Empire of the Sun" (1987)

Bale's acting debut was the TV miniseries "Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna" which indirectly led to his breakthrough role in this Steven Spielberg WWII drama. Spielberg's wife at the time, Amy Irving, was the star of "Anastasia" and recommend Bale to her husband when he was looking for a young actor capable of pulling off the complex starring role in "Sun."

Although the film's box office barely topped $22 million, a disappointment for blockbuster director Spielberg, it received six Oscar nominations and earned Bale a specially created citation for "Best Juvenile Performance" from the National Board of Review.