Christian Bale blames Heath Ledger as he admits to 'not nailing' his performance in Batman films

The films saw him nominated for multiple awards across eight years, but Christian Bale doesn't rate his performances as Batman in The Dark Knight trilogy.

And the late, great Heath Ledger is to blame, he says - and for the nicest reasons possible if you're going to play the blame game.

Bale was already a household name before teaming up with Christopher Nolan for the star-studded trilogy that also star Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Sir Michael Caine, Tom Hardy, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Gary Oldman.

In that situation you could simply ride the wave; especially when the wave is saying you're an integral part of one of the greatest superhero film series ever made.

But Bale - who is 50 today (30 January) - is built a little different and critical reflection is clearly part of who he is.

The Englishman is full of praise for the films and his co-stars across Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises - just not himself.

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Speaking to Yahoo! Movies in 2016, Bale said: “I didn’t quite manage what I hoped I would throughout the trilogy.

"Chris [Nolan] did, but my own sense of self is like, 'I didn’t quite nail it'."

Focus turned to the second instalment of the trilogy, which sees Ledger star as The Joker opposite Bale's Batman.

Bale said that Ledger 'turned up and just kind of completely ruined all my plans'.

He added: "I went, 'He’s so much more interesting than me and what I’m doing."

There's no mistaking Ledger's performance is legendary, with Bale's self-reflection charming when he's essentially saying his talented co-star outshone him.

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It is, of course, a performance marred by his own tragedy after he died from an accidental prescription painkiller overdose months before The Dark Knight was released in cinemas.

The late actor won the Best Supporting Actor award at the 2009 Oscars in a moment that moved the entire room.

Ledger's dad Kim Ledger accepted the award on his behalf alongside the actor's mum Sally Bell and sister Kate Ledger.

A moving speech, it left the audience on the verge of tears as Kim issued a heartfelt tribute to his son and the performance he gave.

There had been claims that Ledger's dedication to the role, including locking himself in a hotel room for weeks and keeping a diary of his character's thoughts had contributed in some way to his death, but his sister refuted those suggestions.

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She said: "He loved working with Chris Nolan and Christian Bale and Gary Oldman.

"When he came home at Christmas, he couldn't wait to tell us all about it, and he was doing the voice and laughing, showing me all the rushes.

"We had a great time."