—Empire of the Sun “The truth is this: if I didn’t have to do a single interview, I never would.” —Christian Bale, Tribune Media, July 10, 1992 “Empire of the Sun changed my life quite considerably and I didn’t like it one bit.” —Christian Bale, In Focus, July 10, 1992 The thin boy was sitting quietly, staring intently at an orange he held in his left hand. Across the table sat a seasoned journalist with a tape recorder and a notepad, pen in hand, hoping to continue his interrogation. Whenever the reporter asked him a question, the boy absently muttered a tired “yes” or “no” until his eyes wandered to the tray on the table covered with remnants of his lunch. He slowly fingered different pieces of cutlery, finally settling on a knife. As the reporter looked on, he began stabbing at the orange, reveling in the spritz of orange rind and the happy scent of citrus, which began to perfume the air. To the boy, this was something tangible and real—something he could do and feel while he ignored any further questions.
