When Jennifer Lawrence started her acting career, Christian Bale was high on her list of potential co-stars to make out with.

But the Christian Bale of her teenage mind was the muscle-bound, latex-clad crime fighter of The Dark Knight series, not the portly, balding Irving Rosenfeld of American Hustle.

According to director David Russell, Lawrence was so incensed about the situation, she complained to him.

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"I finally get to make out with Christian Bale and he's a really fat guy," she apparently said.

"He's Fatman, not Batman."

But her words may surprise fans, just months after she urged the media to be more accountable for its role in portraying positive body images to young women.

Shape Created with Sketch. Jennifer Lawrence's best quotes Show all 20 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Jennifer Lawrence's best quotes 1/20 “I was at the Oscars, waiting to hear if my name was called, and I kept thinking, cakewalk, cakewalk, cakewalk.I thought, 'Why is 'cakewalk' stuck in my head?'" - On why she fell at the Oscars 2013 2/20 "I finally get to make out with Christian Bale and he's a really fat guy. He's Fatman, not Batman." - American Hustle director David O Russell lets slip J-Law's on-set words to US Magazine 3/20 "I can’t even... It’s like past mad, it’s this weird other emotion … I feel like my heart just fell out." - To presenter Shaun Robinson after she spoiled the Homeland Season 3 finale 4/20 “He was at a party, and I turned into a perverted guy. I was like following him into rooms and staring at his ass…He asked me if I was on mushrooms and I said, ‘No. I’m dead sober. This is just me.’” - on stalking John Stamos at a party 5/20 "I think any time a girl has to show her thighs, it's never going to be her favorite look. I love the dress...if someone else wore it." - To Good Morning America Getty Images 6/20 “I’m a horrible dancer! I’m like a dad at prom. I look like Gumby getting electrocuted.” - On whether you'll see her twerking any time soon 7/20 PA 8/20 “I wrap myself up to look like Lord Voldemort so that they can’t see anything because the thought of giving them a picture that will make them money absolutely infuriates me.” - Entertainment Weekly Getty 9/20 “If I don’t have anything to do all day, I might not even put my pants on.” - Glamour Magazine Getty 10/20 “I think people are fascinated with breasts that bounce. They are so used to seeing [fake ones]. People are confused [that mine bounce]! My breasts have a life of their own.” - The Sun Getty 11/20 “You guys are just standing up because you feel bad that I fell and that’s really embarrassing, but thank you.” - 2013 Oscars acceptance speech Getty 12/20 “I really would not call myself a fashion icon. I would call myself somebody who gets dressed by professionals. [It's like], 'Dance, monkey, dance' right on the red carpet.' I would call me more of a monkey.” - To E! Getty 13/20 “If anybody even tries to whisper the word 'diet,' I'm like, 'You can go f– yourself.” - To Harper's Bizarre Getty 14/20 "I was surprised at how little camel toe problem there was. I was expecting a lot more." - To E! on her Hunger Games jumpsuit Getty 15/20 "If I were just your average 23-year-old girl and I called the police to say that there were strange men sleeping on my lawn and following me to Starbucks, they would leap into action." - To Vogue on the paparazzi Getty 16/20 “I’m the fastest pee-er ever. I’m famous for it.” - Rolling Stone Getty Images 17/20 “I can see the McDonalds right there. Wait, hold on, I didn’t say fries! I’m seeing you talk and all I’m seeing is me being pissed I didn’t get fries. And you have to remind them about ketchup because they never include ketchup, you have to ask for it. Cheapskates.” - Being interviewed on the Oscars red carpet Getty Images 18/20 “I want to play a character I’ve never been before-a crazy serial killer like Charlize Theron in Monster. I’d love to have to shave my head.” Getty Images 19/20 “This isn’t like an auction, right? You guys aren’t going to take it away?” - Backstage at the Oscars Getty Images 20/20 “This isn’t like an auction, right? You guys aren’t going to take it away?” - Backstage at the Oscars Reuters 1/20 “I was at the Oscars, waiting to hear if my name was called, and I kept thinking, cakewalk, cakewalk, cakewalk.I thought, 'Why is 'cakewalk' stuck in my head?'" - On why she fell at the Oscars 2013 2/20 "I finally get to make out with Christian Bale and he's a really fat guy. He's Fatman, not Batman." - American Hustle director David O Russell lets slip J-Law's on-set words to US Magazine 3/20 "I can’t even... It’s like past mad, it’s this weird other emotion … I feel like my heart just fell out." - To presenter Shaun Robinson after she spoiled the Homeland Season 3 finale 4/20 “He was at a party, and I turned into a perverted guy. I was like following him into rooms and staring at his ass…He asked me if I was on mushrooms and I said, ‘No. I’m dead sober. This is just me.’” - on stalking John Stamos at a party 5/20 "I think any time a girl has to show her thighs, it's never going to be her favorite look. I love the dress...if someone else wore it." - To Good Morning America Getty Images 6/20 “I’m a horrible dancer! I’m like a dad at prom. I look like Gumby getting electrocuted.” - On whether you'll see her twerking any time soon 7/20 PA 8/20 “I wrap myself up to look like Lord Voldemort so that they can’t see anything because the thought of giving them a picture that will make them money absolutely infuriates me.” - Entertainment Weekly Getty 9/20 “If I don’t have anything to do all day, I might not even put my pants on.” - Glamour Magazine Getty 10/20 “I think people are fascinated with breasts that bounce. They are so used to seeing [fake ones]. People are confused [that mine bounce]! My breasts have a life of their own.” - The Sun Getty 11/20 “You guys are just standing up because you feel bad that I fell and that’s really embarrassing, but thank you.” - 2013 Oscars acceptance speech Getty 12/20 “I really would not call myself a fashion icon. I would call myself somebody who gets dressed by professionals. [It's like], 'Dance, monkey, dance' right on the red carpet.' I would call me more of a monkey.” - To E! Getty 13/20 “If anybody even tries to whisper the word 'diet,' I'm like, 'You can go f– yourself.” - To Harper's Bizarre Getty 14/20 "I was surprised at how little camel toe problem there was. I was expecting a lot more." - To E! on her Hunger Games jumpsuit Getty 15/20 "If I were just your average 23-year-old girl and I called the police to say that there were strange men sleeping on my lawn and following me to Starbucks, they would leap into action." - To Vogue on the paparazzi Getty 16/20 “I’m the fastest pee-er ever. I’m famous for it.” - Rolling Stone Getty Images 17/20 “I can see the McDonalds right there. Wait, hold on, I didn’t say fries! I’m seeing you talk and all I’m seeing is me being pissed I didn’t get fries. And you have to remind them about ketchup because they never include ketchup, you have to ask for it. Cheapskates.” - Being interviewed on the Oscars red carpet Getty Images 18/20 “I want to play a character I’ve never been before-a crazy serial killer like Charlize Theron in Monster. I’d love to have to shave my head.” Getty Images 19/20 “This isn’t like an auction, right? You guys aren’t going to take it away?” - Backstage at the Oscars Getty Images 20/20 “This isn’t like an auction, right? You guys aren’t going to take it away?” - Backstage at the Oscars Reuters

"I just think it should be illegal to call somebody fat on TV," she said.

"Because why is humiliating people funny."

Lawrence made the comments during an interview for an upcoming ABC News special Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2013 in December.

"I get it, and, and I do it too, we all do it," she continued. "But I think when it comes to the media, the media needs to take responsibility for the effect that it has on our younger generation, on these girls who are watching these television shows, and picking up how to talk and how to be cool, so then all of a sudden being funny is making fun of the girl who's wearing an ugly dress.

"I mean, if we're regulating cigarettes and sex and cuss words, because of the effect they have on our younger generation, why aren't we regulating things like calling people fat?"

Director Russell made the revelation in an interview with US Magazine during the Australian Academy of Cinema & Television Arts Awards in West Hollywood on Friday night.

Bale famously bulked up to play the caped crusader in Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).

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But, ever the method actor, he softened up and gained 40 pounds to play the con man in the Golden Globe-winning movie.

"The shocking thing is that Christian can charm ladies even with the comb over and the belly because it comes from confidence and heart," Russell said.

And it's just that sort of dedication that Russell admires in his actors, too.

"I want them to disappear - and that excites them because they want to freak audiences out. And that's what entertainment is right?

"A character like, 'Oh my God. I went into another world! Where was I?' That's what he did.

"That's what Jennifer did. Jennifer played a real housewife from Long Island. That's what [Bradley] Cooper did. He played a Brooklyn FBI guy but a freak! And that's what Amy Adams did when she played a split personality - sexier than anybody ever thought the little princess from Enchanted could be."

Jennifer Lawrence, of course, won Best Supporting Actress for her role as Bale's on-screen wife, Rosalyn Rosenfeld, while Amy Adams scooped the Best Actress honour.

Video: American Hustle trailer