Oscar Winners Who Played DC Superheroes: Christian Bale, Halle Berry & More

Some actors have won Oscars, some have played DC characters. These actors have done both. Here are all the Academy Award winners who have played DC heroes.

While some DC films have been hits and others have been flops, there’s no denying that the actors in them are talented! In fact, a number of them are Academy Award winners. Ironically, they’ve all played either Batman or Catwoman so either these roles are both bring luck to the actors who play them or it’s just a coincidence since they are all incredibly talented. Here’s a list of all the actors and actresses who have starred in DC movies and won an Academy Award.

Christian Bale (Batman)

Christian Bale starred as Batman, and his alter ego Bruce Wayne, all throughout the course of the three The Dark Knight films: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. He has been revered for playing a more grounded and well-rounded Batman, as he saw the character having four sides to him, in Christopher Nolan’s super-realistic portrayal of the superhero universe. He also went through a drastic weight change for the role, gaining about 100lbs. While he didn’t take away any Oscar wins for his role as Batman, he did win Best Supporting Actor back in 2011 for his role in The Fighter. He was also nominated for Best Actor in American Hustle, Best Supporting Actor in The Big Short and Best Actor in Vice.

Halle Berry (Catwoman)

Halle Berry played Patience Phillips and Catwoman in the 2004 edition of Catwoman but it may be a role that she’d rather forget. While she did the best she could playing a fashion designer who was murdered and resurrected as a mutant cat, the film performed so poorly that it earned her a Razzie. Most actors don’t usually show up to pick up the award that signifies worst actor but Halle proudly stepped up to the podium to accept it. “My mother told me that if you couldn’t be a good loser then there’s no way you could be a good winner,” she said at the time. She also, ironically held her Oscar during her acceptance speech. She had won Best Actress for the 2001 film Monster Ball and to this day, is still the only Black actress to win the award.

George Clooney (Batman)

George Clooney played Batman in the infamous Batman & Robin in 1997. Audiences found the film hilarious, even though it wasn’t intended to be. He has shaded the film, claiming it has a bad script but eventually has learned to take the relentless teasing that has come for his part in the film in stride. When questioned about The Flash, he revealed the franchise never asked him to return. “When you destroy a franchise the way I did, usually they look the other way when ‘The Flash’ comes by,” he quipped while speaking to Variety. His wife Amal Clooney has never seen the film because George claimed, “I want my wife to have some respect for me.” Fortunately, his early embarrassment didn’t hold him back from becoming an award-winning actor. He won Best Supporting Actor for Syriana and received nominations for Michael Clayton, Up in the Air and The Descendants.

Anne Hathaway (Catwoman)

Anne Hathaway joined Christian Bale in The Dark Knight trilogy as the traditional Selina Kyle version of Catwoman. Unlike Halle’s rendition of the role, Anne’s Catwoman was met with much more praise by audiences and critics alike. Catwoman is just one of Anne’s many successful roles. In fact, she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for playing Fantine in Les Misérables and was nominated for the award for the 2009 film Rachel Getting Married.

Ben Affleck (Batman)

Aside from Robert Pattinson’s The Batman, Ben Affleck was the most recent actor to put on the Batsuit for the 2016 film Batman v Superman. His performance was polarizing as it split audiences in half. Some fans felt he was perfect for the role while others didn’t think he was able to pull it off. While his performance in Batman V Superman was met with mixed reactions, this isn’t the case for all of his roles. He has won an Academy Award but it wasn’t for his acting. He won Best Director for his film Argo.