'Dark Knight' Christian Bale's lady sidekick: Sibi Bale

Like the Dark Knight/Bruce Wayne, Christian Bale is a real-life man of mystery. Averse to personal publicity, he is well-known for not wanting to discuss his private life.

"I like my privacy, and I don't like answering personal questions, he once told the Telegraph.

With this week's report of assault charges, filed against Bale by his mother and sister, that may not work. Now everyone wants to talk to Bale about a personal incident that has become water-cooler chatter. And revelations surfacing Wednesday that the family row may have been over something said to his wife has also put the media focus on her.

So who is Sibi Bale? Standing, usually smiling, next to Bale -- always in a simple and classic black ensemble -- the tall, brunette beauty with long, center-parted hair, is herself a bit of a cipher. Like Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise (in their early days), Sibi is a lovely arm-piece for Bale at all his premieres and personal appearances.

Here's what we know about Sibi.

Her real name is Sandra Blazic, and she's a Chicago-born indie film producer, former make-up artist and model who worked as an assistant to Bale's pal Winona Ryder. She's listed as Ryder's assistant in her IMDb.com credits on "Girl, Interrupted."

She met Christian at one of Winona's barbecues during the making of "Little Women," in 1994. The couple married in 2000.

From then on, Sibi, now 38, traveled with Christian to film locations, premieres (like "The Prestige" in 2002, above) and the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, in photo at left.

The couple had a daughter in 2005. When Sibi was pregnant, the couple was mum on the impending birth and  has remained low-key. One of the few times Bale spoke about being a dad was to USA Weekend, saying simply, "It's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

It's hard to realize that Bale wasn't always a highly paid actor. Just a few years ago, he and Sibi had financial difficulties that Bale has only recently spoken about. In 2003, he wasn't making enough money to support his family and faced a house repossession.

He told Details, "I don't believe that there's an actor alive who hasn't been in that position -- and in that position many years after people recognize you and have a very wrong impression of what they imagine your life to be like."

And he also admitted he took roles to get out of debt. "I won't tell what [movie] it was, but it was following closely on the heels of [the repossession]. It ended up that I found a great many experiences from it, but the motivation was completely keeping the head above water."

Through it all, Sibi has been by his side.

Photos: Sibi and Christian Bale through thin and thick and now, publicity. Credit: WireImage