'The Big Short' tells a story about people and consequences

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Christian Bale is part of the ensemble cast that makes up "The Big Short." The group earned a SAG Award nomination, and individually, so did Bale, as best supporting actor.

In the film, Bale plays Mike Burry. He was one of the first investors in the world to recognize the impending subprime mortgage crisis that happened here about eight years ago. Burry invested against the banks who didn't see the collapse coming. Bale says you don't have to be an accounting whiz to appreciate this film.

"You don't need to know the financial terms," said Bale. "But what this film lets you know is the consequences on people. And so that's really the most important thing."

"The Big Short" is based on Burry's best-selling book. When director Adam McKay read it, he knew he wanted to make it into a movie. And then after he co-wrote the script, Bale knew he wanted to be in it.

"I was learning an awful lot but more importantly than that, I was entertained by it," said Bale. "And that's what Adam brought to it in his ability to take something that doesn't seem likely to be any sort of entertaining movie and make it, I think, one of the most entertaining movies I've ever seen."

Burry left Stanford where he was a resident in neurology so he could become a full-time investor. He's a character that Bale says he thought a lot about in preparing the role.

"A lot of thought did but I got a lot of help because Mike Burry was incredibly helpful. All of the clothes I wear, Mike sent me. These are the clothes that he wears and the clothes that he will only wear," said Bale. "He owns one suit. He's the opposite of this typical master of the universe Wall Street guy. This was a man who uses death metal to relax. This is somebody who was a neurologist but felt like it wasn't demanding enough. He's just beyond anything I can ever achieve."

"The Big Short" is in theaters in limited release on Dec. 11.