Francois Duhamel/Sony PicturesChristian Bale has done it again.
The Oscar winner completely transformed himself for American Hustle. He plays a real-life con man with a big beer belly and a comb-over only Donald trump could love.
"It was awesome," Amy Adams, who plays his mistress and partner in crime, told me last night at the movie's premiere in L.A. "He's so committed and still so amazingly sexy with the belly and all. Comb-over, belly—who cares? He's hot!"
The David O. Russell-directed flick is loosely based on the FBI's ABSCAM anti-corruption operation in the late '70s that led to prison sentences for several politicians, including a U.S. Senator. Bradley Cooper plays the FBI agent leading the sting. Jennifer Lawrence is Bale's heartbroken Long Island wife determined to take down his mistress.
Bale told USA Today that he packed on 40 pounds for the role.
"He said he was going to gain a significant amount of weight and he did," producer Richard Suckle said. "We had dinner at his house one night at the beginning and I don't think I've ever seen any human being eat as much lasagna as he did. He had a full family style portion of lasagna!"
Speaking of food, last night's premiere at the DGA building included an after party with a '70s-inspired menu offering Swedish meatballs, cheese fondue pretzel balls, chicken pot pie and Chex Party Mix.
Earlier in the day, American Hustle was named Best Film of the year by the New York Film Critics Circle. Lawrence won Best Supporting Actress and the film also picked up the award for Best Screenplay.
"It's very exciting," Adams said. "That's not too shabby."
American Hustle is in theaters in New York and L.A. on Dec. 13, followed by a wide release on Dec. 20.