High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Christian Bale is an English actor who has appeared in many motion pictures, television programmes and advertisements. He made his acting debut in 1986, on the television film Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna. The following year, he made his film debut starring alongside John Malkovich and Miranda Richardson in the war film Empire of the Sun. Bale`s role of a young boy imprisoned in Japan received praise from most film critics. Two years later, Bale had a minor role in Henry V, a drama film based on William Shakespeare`s play The Life of Henry the Fifth. It has been considered one of the best Shakespeare film adaptations ever made. In 1992, Bale starred as Jack Kelly in the Walt Disney musical drama Newsies, which was a critical and commercial failure, however, it gained a cult following. He received a role in the 1994 drama Little Women, which garnered positive reviews. Bale lent his voice to the Walt Disney animated film Pocahontas in 1995. Although Pocahontas received a mixed reception, it attained box office success. He starred as British journalist Arthur Stuart in the Todd Haynes-directed drama Velvet Goldmine (1998). Although critics were divided on the film, Bale`s role was "eagerly anticipated". Bale portrayed Demetrius in the critically praised 1999 film A Midsummer Night`s Dream, an adaptation of Shakespeare`s play of the same name, directed by Michael Hoffman. The same year, he portrayed Jesus of Nazareth in the television movie Mary, Mother of Jesus.