Christian Bale & Drew Barrymore Dated Once as Teens

Christian Bale takes the cover of GQ Australia‘s June/July 2012 issue, on newsstands now.

Here’s what the 38-year-old Dark Knight Rises star had to share:

On playing Batman: “I have been deeply honored to inhabit this character. It was a massive undertaking. Physically, emotionally, every way. But suddenly we were in the final throes. I sat down and asked for a little space. I stared at the cowl for a good long moment and thought, ‘Man, this one really took on a life of its own.’”

On going out with Drew Barrymore when he was 13: “We went to see some bloody awful horror film, and that was the end of it. She never called again.”

On family life: “Think about how strange and unfortunate it would be for my daughter if I couldn’t just be a dad. You shouldn’t make your children suffer because of choices you make… I get no greater joy than when I’m looking at my daughter and her friends when they’re laughing their asses off. Movies are great but when I look back, it’s the time with my family I’m going to remember. That’s the source of character.”

On his critics: “It’s not that I don’t care what people think, it’s just that it doesn’t serve anyone to get too caught up in that, especially in my line of work. To me, it’s all about having a belief in what you’re doing. That’s how you live an extraordinary life. It’s, ‘How are you going to do things differently than anyone else has done it?’”