Jason Bateman (born January 14, 1969, Rye, New York, U.S.) is an American actor, director, and producer best known for playing the part of Michael Bluth, the even-keeled, sensible president and CEO of his dysfunctional family’s company, in the television comedy series Arrested Development (2003–19). He is also known for portraying Marty Byrde, a financial adviser who launders money for a drug cartel, in the acclaimed crime drama series Ozark (2017–22). In many of his projects, Bateman portrays cool, dry, and analytical characters.

Early life and career

Bateman was born in Rye, New York, to Kent Bateman, an American actor, writer, and director, and Victoria Bateman, a British-born flight attendant. He recalls bonding with his father by watching movies rather than playing sports. Bateman and his elder sister, Justine, who starred in the hit comedy series Family Ties (1982–89), were both successful child actors. Bateman has appeared in several television programs since age 12, including Little House on the Prairie (1981–82), Silver Spoons (1982–84), and The Hogan Family (1986–1991; initially titled Valerie [1986–87] and later Valerie’s Family [1987–88]). The income that Bateman and his sister earned from acting helped support their family. In 1987 he made his film debut portraying Todd Howard, a misfit college student who has the ability to transform into a werewolf, in the fantasy comedy Teen Wolf Too (the sequel to the film Teen Wolf [1985]).

Later life and career

Even though Bateman had been successful in the entertainment industry during his youth, he struggled to transition from a child actor to an adult one. He acted in several television shows throughout the 1990s, but they were canceled after short runs; Bateman has characterized this period as a frustrating downturn in his career. In 2001 he married American actress Amanda Anka, the daughter of Canadian-born singer-songwriter Paul Anka; they have two daughters. In 2003 Bateman revived his career by landing the role of straight man Michael Bluth in Arrested Development. He has described Bluth’s character as “an exaggerated version of one of my sides,” and he cites it as the most important role of his career.

Arrested Development reinvigorated his career. The series’ success and cult following allowed Bateman to pursue a host of film roles, including Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004), Starsky & Hutch (2004), The Break-Up (2006), Smokin’ Aces (2006), Juno (2007), Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Hancock (2008), Couples Retreat (2009), The Switch (2010), Horrible Bosses (2011), and Bad Words (2013), which he also directed. He has been good friends with American actress Jennifer Aniston since the mid-1990s, and they have appeared together in several movies, including The Break-Up, The Switch, Horrible Bosses and its 2014 sequel, and Office Christmas Party (2016).

From 2017 to 2022 Bateman starred in and served as executive producer for Ozark. It was the opportunity to direct several episodes that enticed him to star in the series, and he went on to direct nine, including the series finale. In 2023 he played Rob Strasser, the vice president of marketing for the sports apparel company Nike, in the sports biography film Air, which tells the story of American basketball legend Michael Jordan’s early partnership with Nike.

In 2010 Bateman teamed with Canadian actor and Arrested Development costar Will Arnett and American producer Ben Silverman to launch the digital content company DumbDumb, which focused on producing commercials and other original content. He won a Golden Globe Award for best actor in a comedy series (2005) for his role in Arrested Development. Additionally, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for best director of a drama series (2019) for his work on Ozark. In 2017 he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.