Slicked-back Christian Bale bats away his Dark Knight image to play NFL great Al Davis in Madden biopic
Christian Bale was more cantankerous coach than caped crusader as he appeared on set this week for his latest film.
The actor - famed for his roles in Batman and American Psycho - was seen shooting scenes for the NFL-themed biopic, Madden, in which he will play the late Oakland Raiders owner and manager Al Davis.
For the shots, the 51-year-old Hollywood star had balding hair slicked back and wore a leather jacket and white T-shirt.
The David O Russell movie boasts an all-star cast, with Nicolas Cage starring as John Madden, the Raiders coach and NFL broadcaster who gave his name to the Madden NFL video game.
John Mulaney plays Trip Hawkins, the founder of Electronic Arts, while Sienna Miller plays Madden's wife.
Al was the managing general partner, principal owner and de facto general manager of the Raiders for 39 years, from 1972 until his death in 2011.
On Monday, Sienna and Kathryn Hahn were spotted for the first time in their elegant retro attire as they got into character.
Sienna, 43, was particularly glammed up with voluminous blonde curls, beaded necklaces and a glimmering dress with a 60s-inspired print.
Kathryn - who plays Virginia Madden - was outfitted in over-sized sunglasses, a chic pea coat and striped turtleneck.
Sienna is playing Carol Davis, who was married to Oakland Raiders owner Al from 1954 until his death in 2011.
While the Raiders are now in Las Vegas, the team has remained in the Davis family since Al died.
Carol is now 95 and is part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, after inheriting the team from her spouse.
Their only child, son Mark Davis, 70, also inherited the organization and is now owner.
After the team officially moved to Sin City's Allegiant Stadium, Carol helped christen the venue by lighting the Al Davis Torch Memorial ahead of the Las Vegas Raider's inaugural game in 2020.
'There's only one person that can possibly light it, and she's agreed to do it, that's the first lady of the Raider Nation - my mom,' Mark told ESPN at the time.
'I get chills thinking about it. I get goosebumps thinking about it. Probably tears thinking about it. But there's nobody that could have lit it other than her.
'Because it's really a tough time in the country, but also here in Nevada, we don't want to seem that we're celebrating or anything of that nature.
'But to have my mom light that torch means so much, and I think it will mean a lot for everybody in this valley, so I'm excited.'
Like the Davis couple, Virginia was married to John Madden from 1959 until his death in December 2021. They have two sons.
In early 2022, Virginia returned to the RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland to pay tribute to her late husband at One More Monday Night in Oakland: A Celebration of John Madden.
'When John passed, I said, "I want to have a gathering at the coliseum," ' she said.
'I know he's up there and I know he's smiling down on all of his players that are here and all of you people, the fans that supported him for so many years.'
A synopsis of the Madden film on IMDb reads: 'After being forced into retirement by the Oakland Raiders, fiery former NFL head coach John Madden teams up with a mild-mannered Harvard programmer to rewrite his fading legacy by building the world's first football video game.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
32 minutes ago
- Leader Live
GB News announces expansion into the US
The news channel, launched in 2021, will open a new bureau in Washington DC as it launches its services across the Atlantic. The two-hour programme will begin in September from a studio 'close to the White House' and will 'bring British audiences closer than ever to the political news which unfolds each day in America'. The programme will feature 'headline-making exclusives, thought-provoking interviews with major figures, and in-depth analysis of the Trump presidency as well as stories from across the US', according to GB News. The move includes an extension of GB News' distribution across the US, with content to be made available free to American audiences. Turner said: 'With the gutsiest guests and the most iconic backdrops, I intend to keep viewers up late. Fronting the next stage of GB News's evolution is both a huge honour and an immense responsibility, and I cannot wait to represent the people's channel on a global stage. 'We will be disrupting the late-night TV space as the next day's papers land in the UK and America's prime-time analysis gears up. This affords us the chance to deliver a unique UK-USA hybrid of political, cultural and social issues from the start-line of global politics. 'We will fulfil the need for a British voice with an international perspective to help our viewers get a sense of who's really on their side. 'Tapping into Washington's heartbeat and delivering real-time perspective with editorial edge, the show will be alive, and a conversation that's punchy, intelligent and unmissable. What happens in DC reverberates in GB and we will capture every moment. 'Our highly engaged British audience understands how events in the US are directly impacting government policy and living standards here. 'We have a job to do: bridging the gap between British and American politics in the fearless style that typifies GB News. 'We will include the very best guests that Washington has to offer, alongside quintessentially British voices in an unparalleled assessment of events on both sides of the Atlantic. 'This isn't just a media experiment, this is a market intervention. And I look forward to leading it from the front.' Turner, 51, who began presenting her own show on GB News in 2022, previously hosted a talk show on LBC and has appeared on ITV's This Morning and Good Morning Britain. Michael Booker, GB News editorial director, said: 'This is a huge moment for GB News as we grow our presence and deliver more of the fearless journalism that defines us. 'The world's biggest political story is playing out in Washington, and its impact is being felt daily in towns and cities across Britain. 'More than ever before, what happens in the USA is having huge consequences, both socially and economically, for the people of Britain. 'We've seen time and again this year that a decision made on one day in Washington DC is felt the next day in Washington, Tyne and Wear. 'It's essential the people's channel is right there, reporting live, asking the tough questions, and telling it like it is. 'While others scale back on live free coverage, GB News is investing in our content. 'Our new Washington investment, our expanded programming and our brilliant on-the-ground team will ensure we're not just reporting on the story but that we're right at the heart of it.'
The Independent
39 minutes ago
- The Independent
India appeals to Donald Trump for a ‘big, beautiful trade pact'
Indian finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said India would love to have a 'big, beautiful' trade deal with the US, as Washington and New Delhi race to clinch an agreement before the 9 July deadline when punitive tariffs are set to kick in. However, the minister also laid out India's red lines as she expressed hopes for an interim Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) between the two 'strong economies.' Her remarks came after US president Donald Trump last week said a 'very big' deal with India was 'coming up' soon, even though negotiators on both sides appeared to have hit a deadlock over key issues. The US is India's largest trading partner, with the value of their bilateral trade reaching $190bn recently. But after taking office for his second term in January, Mr Trump branded India a "tariff king" and a "big abuser" of trade ties. He has threatened to impose an additional tariff of up to 26 per cent on Indian goods. Although steep, the levy is still lower than the total 104 per cent imposed on China, 49 per cent on Cambodia, and 46 per cent on Vietnam. The additional duties are due to kick back in after a 90-day pause, targeting products like machinery, pearls, mineral fuels, and more. 'I'd love to have an agreement, a big, good, beautiful one; why not?" Ms Sitharam said in an interview with The Financial Express. "The US is one of our leading trade partners, topmost if anything. At the junction we are in, and given our growth goals and ambition to reach Viksit Bharat [developed India] by 2047, the sooner we have such agreements with strong economies, the better they will serve us. So, I'd rather put my own statement on (Trump's)," she added. She nonetheless noted that protecting India's agriculture and dairy industries have been among the 'major red lines' in the BTA talks with the US. "The negotiating team ensured that the industry's concerns were all taken on board before they sat at the table. Agriculture and dairy have been among the very big red lines, where a high degree of caution has been exercised," she said in the interview. The finance minister pushed back against Mr Trump's accusations that India was a 'tariff king', saying the label is 'unjustified' and that India's tariffs against the US were modest and within the World Trade Organisation 's guidelines. "We have only eight duties, inclusive of zero tariffs. There have been drastic cuts in both the July and February budgets. The effective tariff rates are far below the WTO thresholds. So, for India to be called a 'tariff king' is absolutely unjustified," she said. A major sticking point in the India–US trade deal is agriculture, where deep structural differences persist. The US wants greater access for its big-ticket farm exports like wheat, corn, cotton, and genetically modified (GM) crops to narrow its trade deficit, but India has resisted, citing the need to protect food security and the livelihoods of millions of small farmers. Unlike the US, where large-scale, heavily subsidised farming is the norm, India's agriculture is dominated by small landholdings and low productivity. High tariffs – up to 150 per cent – are used by India to shield its farmers from cheaper imports. The US argues these barriers are unfair, while India sees them as essential for survival. After Mr Trump unveiled his Liberation Day tariffs, India acted swiftly by reducing tariffs on select US goods, including motorcycles and whiskey, and offered concessions in the agricultural and defence sectors in an effort to ease tensions with Washington. The two countries have engaged in a series of high-level negotiations aimed at finalising a trade deal before the full impact of Trump's new tariffs takes effect. But progress has been slowed by political sensitivities in India, particularly around the farming and auto industries, which remain key domestic concerns. According to Bloomberg, Indian negotiators in Washington have extended their stay to resolve these differences and reach a deal before the deadline. People familiar with the matter said the negotiations that were supposed to run until 27 June were extended by a day, raising hopes of a timely trade deal.
The Guardian
44 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Peter Thiel's Palantir poses a grave threat to Americans
Draw a circle around all the assets in the US now devoted to artificial intelligence. Draw a second circle around all the assets devoted to the US military. A third around all assets being devoted to helping the Trump regime collect and compile personal information on millions of Americans. And a fourth circle around the parts of Silicon Valley dedicated to turning the US away from a democracy into a dictatorship led by tech bros. Where do the four circles intersect? At a corporation called Palantir Technologies and a man named Peter Thiel. In JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, a 'palantír' is a seeing stone that can be used to distort truth and present selective visions of reality. During the War of the Ring, a palantír falls under the control of Sauron, who uses it to manipulate and deceive. Palantir Technologies bears a striking similarity. It sells an AI-based platform that allows its users – among them, military and law enforcement agencies – to analyze personal data, including social media profiles, personal information and physical characteristics. These are used to identify and surveil individuals. In March, Trump signed an executive order requiring all agencies and departments of the federal government to share data on Americans. To get the job done, Trump chose Palantir Technologies. Palantir is now poised to combine data gleaned from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service. Meanwhile, the administration wants access to citizens' and others' bank account numbers and medical claims. Will the Trump regime use an emerging super-database to advance Trump's political agenda, find and detain immigrants, and punish critics? Will it make it easier for Trump to spy on and target his ever-growing list of enemies and other Americans? We'll soon find out. Thirteen former Palantir employees signed a letter this month urging the corporation to stop its work with Trump. Linda Xia, who was a Palantir engineer until last year, said the problem was not with the company's technology but with how the Trump administration intended to use it. 'Combining all that data, even with the noblest of intentions, significantly increases the risk of misuse,' she told the New York Times. Even some Republicans are concerned. Representative Warren Davidson, a Republican of Ohio, told Semafor such work could be 'dangerous': 'When you start combining all those data points on an individual into one database, it really essentially creates a digital ID. And it's a power that history says will eventually be abused.' Last week, a group of Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Palantir, asking for answers about huge government contracts the company got. The lawmakers are worried that Palantir is helping make a super-database of Americans' private information. Behind their worry lie several people who are behind Palantir's selection for the project, starting with Elon Musk. Musk's so-called 'department of government efficiency' (Doge) was behind Palantir's selection. At least three Doge members had worked at Palantir, the Times reported, while others had worked at companies funded by Peter Thiel, an investor and a founder of Palantir, who still holds a major stake in it. Thiel has worked closely with Musk, who devoted a quarter of a billion dollars to getting Trump re-elected and then, as head of Doge, helped eviscerate swaths of the government without congressional authority. Thiel also mentored JD Vance, who worked for Thiel at one of his venture funds. Thiel subsequently bankrolled Vance's 2022 senatorial campaign. Thiel introduced Vance to Trump and later helped Vance become his vice-presidential pick. Thiel also mentored the billionaire David Sacks, who also worked with Thiel at PayPal. As a student at Stanford University, Sacks wrote for the Stanford Review, the rightwing student newspaper Thiel founded as an undergraduate there in 1987. Sacks is now Trump's 'AI and crypto czar'. The CEO of Palantir is Alex Karp, who said on an earnings call earlier this year that the company wants 'to disrupt and make the institutions we partner with the very best in the world and, when it's necessary, to scare enemies and on occasion kill them'. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion Palantir recently disclosed that Karp received $6.8bn in 'compensation actually paid' in 2024 (you read that right) – making him the highest-paid chief executive of a publicly traded company in the United States. A former generation of wealthy US conservatives backed candidates like Barry Goldwater because they wanted to conserve American institutions. But this group – Thiel, Musk, Sacks, Karp and Vance, among others – doesn't seem to want to conserve much of anything, at least not anything that occurred after the 1920s, including social security, civil rights and even women's right to vote. As Thiel has written: The 1920s were the last decade in American history during which one could be genuinely optimistic about politics. Since 1920, the vast increase in welfare beneficiaries and the extension of the franchise to women – two constituencies that are notoriously tough for libertarians – have rendered the notion of 'capitalist democracy' into an oxymoron. Hello? If 'capitalist democracy' is becoming an oxymoron, it's not because of public assistance or because women got the right to vote. It's because billionaire capitalists like Musk and Thiel are intent on killing democracy. Not incidentally, the 1920s marked the last gasp of the Gilded Age, when America's robber barons ripped off so much of the nation's wealth that the rest of the US had to go deep into debt both to maintain their standard of living and to maintain overall demand for the goods and services the nation produced. When that debt bubble burst in 1929, we got the Great Depression. Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler then emerged to create the worst threats to freedom and democracy the modern world had ever witnessed. If the US learned anything from the first Gilded Age and the fascism that grew like a cancer in the 1930s, it should have been that gross inequalities of income and wealth fuel abuses of political power – as Trump, Musk, Thiel, Karp and other oligarchs have put on full display – which in turn generate strongmen who destroy both democracy and freedom. The danger inherent in Palantir's AI-powered super-database on all Americans is connected to the vast wealth and power of those associated with the corporation, and their apparent disdain for democratic institutions. Had you walked to the end of Trump's military-birthday parade and gazed above the president's reviewing stand, you'd have seen on a giant video board an advertisement for Palantir – one of the chief sponsors of the event. Tolkien's palantír fell under the control of Sauron. Thiel's Palantir is falling under the control of Trump. How this story ends is up to all of us. Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is a professor of public policy emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a Guardian US columnist. His newsletter is at
