Speaking about his arrest, the Dark Knight star asks for privacy

Addressing reporters Thursday, Christian Bale spoke only briefly about his recent arrest in connection to an assault allegation filed by his mother and sister.

“It’s a deeply personal matter,” the Dark Knight star, 34, said at at a press conference for the movie in Barcelona, Spain. “I would ask you to respect my privacy in the matter.”

Get push notifications with news, features and more.

Bale spent four hours in a London police station on Tuesday and was released pending further inquiry. He denies the allegations and cooperated voluntarily, according to a statement released by his lawyers.

On Wednesday, he walked the red carpet in Barcelona for his film’s Spanish premiere with wife Sibi, signing autographs and posing for photos with fans but avoiding reporters.