With their 18th studio album Yummy scheduled for release in a few months and a UK arena tour on the horizon, indie veterans James are very much a going concern. But there was a point in the early 00s when the Sit Down stars had a little sit down themselves, their members heading off to other things during a half-decade long hiatus. You’ll be thankful they did because if they didn’t, we wouldn’t have the 10/10 anecdote about Christian Bale that follows.
James frontman Tim Booth was always the theatrical centre-piece of the band’s live shows so it made total sense that during the group’s break he went off to try his hand at acting. He got a cracking, if minor, role to get him starting, playing villain Victor Zsasz in the first instalment of Christoper Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, Batman Begins. In 2021, he told The New Cue how it came about.
“I was lucky enough to get an audition. I didn't get any favouritism,” said Booth. “Christopher Nolan nearly didn't cast me because I hadn't got much film experience. I had some TV experience, but no real film experience. I got the part and I’m very happy with that even though it's gone in a blink of an eye. It was really fun to play and to be in a really great Batman movie. And to be a villain! I put a hallucinogenic in Gotham City’s water supply. I had my own trial. I was in mental asylum, I tried to murder Katie Holmes, I got clobbered by Batman. What more can you ask!’”
Quite a bit more, actually, because if you delve into his experiences off-camera, then you get this absolute corker of a tale:
“One of my funniest moments from that is I'd go into makeup for hours every day where they put scars on me for two hours,” Booth explained. “On about the sixth day I'm sitting in a makeup chair and Batman's in there in his regalia. Christian Bale stays in character on set the whole time. He's sitting there in his full Batman outfit, doesn’t say anything to me. Then he finishes his makeup and gets up and he goes and stands behind me and in the Batman voice he says, “Are you Tim?” “Yeah…” And he goes, “From the band James?” “Yeah…” “Laid saved my life. I love that fucking album.” He walked out and I'm sitting there going, ‘Holy shit, Batman likes our album!’ It was one of the funniest and loveliest moments because he stayed in character. When he was in casuals, he was Bruce Wayne, which I didn't realise. I had great conversations with him. I hung out with him quite a bit on set. I thought, ‘What a nice man.’ And then later I realised that he was hanging out with me as Bruce Wayne, which was really quite a mind fuck.
We’re not sure if Bruce Wayne was as much a James fan as his Batman alter-ego. Bruce Wayne is probably more into Morcheeba and Groove Armada, having a bit of chill-time at Wayne Manor after he’s taken off the cape and cowl. Watch footage of Tim in the film below:
