(Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Christian Bale may have a reputation for being mean and difficult on set, but he showed his sensitive side last week by calling an 8-year-old Batman fan who is battling leukemia. The family of young Zach Guillot videotaped the phone conversation in the hospital and recently posted it on YouTube.

In the clip, Zach told the actor he has a Batman costume and made his own Batmobile out of cardboard.

"I had to give mine back. They wouldn't let me keep mine," Bale said. "You're lucky you can get to have one to run around and tell people you are Batman."

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Bale told Zach that he and his wife would dress up as Batman and Catwoman for Halloween and points out that "anybody can be Batman."

"Anybody can be as strong as that, and help people and put good out into the world," Bale said.

The actor promised Zach to speak to "the lady who plays Catwoman, as well as Bane and the director," and tell them what a fan of "The Dark Night Rises" Zach is.

Bale ended the nine-minute conversation by telling Zach, "Thanks for carrying the torch and keeping on playing Batman, Okay?"