Christian Bale Turns 42! From Child Star to Oscar-Winner, See His Handsome Transformation

Christian Bale is turning 42 today, and he's kicking off his new year with a potential Oscar win. The actor is nominated for his performance in the 2015's Wall Street film, The Big Short, and his range of roles isn't showing any sign of slowing down.

Aside from appearing in the Oscar-nominated film—which also happened to garner a Golden Globe nom—Bale will soon begin promoting his latest film, Knights of Cups, which hits theaters this March. The seasoned actor will share the screen with fellow castmates Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Antonio Banderas, Joe Manganiello, and more as they portray the less than glamorous side of Hollywood fame.

Up next for the English actor is a role in director Andy Serkis's Jungle Book: Origins, which is set to debut in 2017. The actor will lend his voice as Bagheera, the infamous black panther who becomes Mowgli's guardian and best friend. The cast will also feature Hollywood heavyweights including Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Naomie Harris, and Serkis himself.

While Bale recently opted out of Michael Mann's biopic of Enzo Ferrari, citing his inability to gain weight quickly enough in time for filming, it looks like we'll still be seeing plenty of the actor on the big screen.

In honor of Bale's birthday, we're revisiting his career dating back to 1988, when he appeared in Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun at just 14-years-old. What happened next was Hollywood acclaim and yes, a role as Batman. See Bale's handsome transformation through the years!