The Christian Bale Rant originated from a leaked audio recording of the actor during the 2008 filming of Terminator Salvation. Bale famously exploded at cinematographer Shane Hurlbut for accidentally walking into his line of sight during an intense scene, repeatedly questioning Hurlbut's professionalism and threatening to leave the set. The audio went viral in early 2009, sparking endless remixes, parodies, and late-night talk show skits. In meme culture, the rant is used to satirize extreme outbursts of anger, demand high levels of 'professionalism' in absurd contexts, or mock those who take themselves too seriously.