@fortune.theory: Everyone knows Christian Bale for one thing. The beat-up truck. What almost nobody knows is what he did with the millions behind the scenes. Follow @fortune.theory for stories behind the people you think you know. Christian Bale earned over $54 million playing Batman. He even walked away from another $50 million rather than make a fourth movie. But his most important role happened off camera. In 2012, a 4-year-old boy battling terminal leukemia had one final wish: To meet Batman. Bale flew the family to California and spent the day with him personally. Years later, Bale went even further. Together with his wife and UCLA's Dr. Eric Esrailian, he launched a $22 million project to build homes that keep foster siblings together. While most celebrities use wealth to create distance from the world. Christian Bale used his to get closer to it. And despite all the money, he still drives the same old pickup truck. Because some people don't need a costume to be a hero.
