Christian Bale became known for his temper after an audiotape leaked of him screaming at the director of photography on the set of Terminator: Salvation in 2009, but the 40-year-old actor has always been able to keep his cool around paparazzi. When WSJ Magazine asked him for his thoughts on George Clooney’s frequent complaints about photographers, Bale shocked readers by questioning his fellow former Batman’s intelligence and calling Clooney “boring.”

Clooney made headlines earlier this year for lashing out at The Daily Mail when they published fictitious articles about his fiancée Amal Alamuddin’s family days before their September wedding. The website quickly apologized and admitted to releasing false information, but Clooney’s angry reaction still resonated with several critics and fans.

When WSJ Magazine brought up Clooney’s frequently-voiced frustrations with media coverage during a recent interview with Christian Bale, who famously portrayed Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan’s popular The Dark Knight trilogy a decade after Clooney portrayed the comic book character in the critically-condemned Batman & Robin, Bale showed little sympathy.

“It doesn’t matter that he talks about it. It’s like, ‘Come on, guys, just shut up. Just get on with it and live your lives and stop whining about it,'” said Bale. “I prefer not to whine about it. Some people poke you like you’re an animal in a zoo, looking for a response. If you’re smart, you don’t give it to them.”

Bale admitted that there have been several times where he felt tempted to unleash his anger on rude paparazzi, especially after one took a picture of him “taking a leak,” but stated that he is able to stay calm after he remembers that sort of reaction is exactly what the photographers are hoping for.

“I was in Italy with my wife [Sibi Blazic]. I would go to work; she would leave the hotel. There would be a man who stood outside…and say the most obscene things imaginable to my wife. I know what he’s after; he has a strategy there. Am I able to say I’m not gonna give him that satisfaction of angry Christian Bale coming after this man? But equally, he’s killing my humanity and my dignity as a husband if I do not, and he knows this. So, you’ve got a choice.”