Known worldwide for his role as Batman, Christian Bale has been working for years on a project that he calls one of the most important of his life. The 51-year-old actor joined forces with Dr. Eric Esrailian, a UCLA professor and physician, to co-found the nonprofit Together California. Their mission is to create a foster care village where siblings can stay together and not be separated.
For Christian Bale, the project has been in progress for nearly two decades.
The site is located in Palmdale, California, and it reflects years of persistence and determination. His inspiration came 17 years ago when his daughter Emmeline was just three years old. He began to think about what would happen to her if something happened to him and his wife. This thought pushed him to explore the foster care system, and what he found was shocking. In the United States, nearly three-quarters of siblings who enter foster care are separated from each other.
Bale described the heartbreaking reality of this issue in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning’s Tracy Smith. He said that children already face the trauma of losing their parents, but then they also lose their siblings. This, he explained, is something society should not accept. For him, the separation of siblings is an added pain that children should never have to experience.
Christian Bale explained that his decision to act was not driven by personal experience with foster care. Growing up in Wales as the son of a circus performer and an activist, Bale never had direct contact with the system. However, he stressed that it does not require personal experience to recognize what needs to be done. In his words, it is simply about having a heart and a basic understanding that society should care for its children.
To bring this dream to life, Bale teamed up with Tim McCormick, who had already been working in Chicago to create foster housing that allowed siblings to stay together. McCormick is now helping lead the Together California project in Los Angeles County, which has the largest foster population in the United States, with over 43,000 children.
Christian Bale explained that this project is not just about housing. It is about creating a place where authentic goodness can grow and where children can feel safe and connected. He pointed out that the project impacts not only the children but society as a whole. It is a way to tell a better story about how people can come together to protect the most vulnerable.
In 2022, the group secured $1.7 million from the city of Palmdale and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to purchase nearly five acres of land. By February 2024, construction was underway, led by AC Martin Architects. Known for their large-scale projects, the firm’s CEO, Tom Hsieh, said this one carried a deeper meaning. For him, it was more important than building another high-rise. He shared that this was a project that allowed him and his team to give back to the community in a way that mattered.
The Christian Bale foster care village will include 12 three-bedroom townhouses. Each house will host six children along with professional foster parents. At the center of the development will be a 7,000-square-foot community center. This space will offer programs, resources, and opportunities for children to learn and grow together.
The plans also include studio apartments. These will serve as temporary housing for birth parents and as transitional housing for teens aging out of the foster care system. For Christian Bale, who has always had a passion for creativity and design, the process of building the community has been deeply rewarding. He has spoken about his love for architecture and how exciting it is to finally see the project taking shape.
Funding has come from both public and private sources. The Austrian-American Council West contributed $6 million, and well-known figures like Leonardo DiCaprio also offered support.
The site itself has changed dramatically. What was once an empty lot near McAdam Park has transformed into an active construction zone. By August 1, the first walls of the homes had already started rising. Together California shared a video of the progress on Instagram, showing their vision coming to life.
The organization described the site as a place of hope and connection, a community where children will believe that dreams can become reality. They highlighted how important it is to give foster children not only shelter but also the feeling of belonging and love.
Christian Bale admitted that the process took much longer than he had expected. In the early stages, he imagined that it would be simple: buy land, build homes, and welcome siblings to live together. He even joked that he had a naive idea of siblings singing like the Von Trapp family in The Sound of Music. But the reality required patience, resources, and dedication over nearly two decades.
Even though the project stretched out for 17 years, Bale insists he would do it all again. For him, the long wait was worth it. He believes this is one of the most important achievements of his life, alongside his work as an actor.
Christian Bale explained that when the time comes for him to look back at his life, this project will stand as one of the things he is most proud of. He wants to know that he made changes that mattered in the world and that he left behind something meaningful. The Christian Bale foster care village is, for him, part of that legacy.
