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James Van Der Beek, who passed away on February 11, 2026, left a significant imprint on both the big and small screens. Best known for his role as the affable Dawson Leery in “Dawson’s Creek,” Van Der Beek ventured into darker territory with “The Rules of Attraction.” In this dark comedy, he portrayed Sean Bateman, a character starkly different from his usual roles—one plagued by drug addiction and emotional manipulation. Sean is the brother of Patrick Bateman, the infamous character from “American Psycho” portrayed by Christian Bale.
Paramount Pictures
Both Sean and Patrick Bateman hail from the imagination of author Bret Easton Ellis. Ellis crafted a universe where Patrick first appeared in the novel “The Rules of Attraction,” serving as a prelude to “American Psycho.” Within these pages, Patrick is depicted as an accomplished and serious individual, with no overt signs of his later murderous inclinations.
The film adaptation of “The Rules of Attraction” does not include Patrick Bateman’s physical presence, although he is mentioned, establishing a shared universe with “American Psycho.” However, Patrick does appear in deleted scenes, though not portrayed by Christian Bale.
Two scenes featuring Patrick were shot but ultimately removed before the film’s release. In these scenes, Casper Van Dien steps into the role of Patrick Bateman.
In a scene shared online by director Roger Avary, Sean Bateman is seen making a desperate call to his brother Patrick from a payphone. Sean seeks financial help to settle a debt with a drug dealer. Patrick listens but dismisses Sean’s plea, advising him to find his own solution. Frustrated, Sean hangs up angrily after a heated exchange, while Patrick, unfazed, requests a Perrier from his secretary, Jean.
A different actor almost played Patrick Bateman in The Rules of Attraction
It turns out that two scenes were filmed for “The Rules of Attraction” which feature Patrick Bateman, but both were deleted before the movie’s opening day. Casper Van Dien plays the character in these two removed segments.Â
The first — which was released online by director Roger Avary – sees Sean call Patrick on a pay phone, desperate to cobble together enough money to pay back a drug dealer he owes. Patrick listens to Sean’s pitch but turns him down cold, telling him to get a job of his own. Sean curses his brother out and slams the receiver into the wall, but Patrick remains unmoved after Sean hangs up, simply asking his loyal secretary Jean for the Perrier he previously requested.Â
The second hasn’t made it out of the director’s vault, but according to Casper Van Dien it’s a wild one. Patrick is again on the phone with Sean, but this time he can be heard tapping his fingertips against something. The camera pulls back to reveal that Patrick is drumming atop a woman’s severed head, which is sitting in a plastic bag. “And then, I get up and I dance with it in a leopard Speedo G-string with blood everywhere,” Van Dien explained to People Magazine. This moment — Avary’s favorite in the film, according to the actor — was only cut to keep the film from being slapped with an NC-17 by the MPAA. While all of the Patrick Bateman scenes ended up on the cutting room floor no matter how gory they were, they exist as proof that the two are brothers — and that blood is definitely thicker than water.