Christian Bale has a pretty storied history when it comes to losing and gaining weight for his roles. He lost a staggering 63 pounds for his role in The Machinist, before putting back on nearly 100 pounds for Batman Begins. He then went through a similar cycle for Rescue Dawn, though not quite as extreme as the first time around.

For David O. Russell’s The Fighter, Bale has once again thinned down to play Dicky Eklund, half-brother to boxer “Irish” Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg). He was sometimes Mickey’s trainer, sometimes just another small time criminal. After a welterweight career that included a fight with Sugar Ray Leonard, Eklund ended up battling drug addiction for years – and Bale’s definitely got a crack-addled look going on. He’s even thinned his hair, and JustJared has the first photos of the actor’s new look. Click the photos below to check out the full batch:

Despite the bad press he’s gotten over the last year, you have to admire the kind of tenacity and dedication Bale brings to his work. Most people struggle to lose a few pounds, but the Dark Knight actor seems to be able to change his weight at will.

The Fighter is currently filming in L.A. and is scheduled for a 2011 release.

Tags: Christian Bale, David O. Russell, Mark Wahlberg, Stills, The Fighter