Jason Bateman
Birthdate: January 14, 1969 (57 Years Old)
Birthplace: Rye, New York, USA
Jason Bateman (birthname: Jason Kent Bateman), while best known as actor-director-producer for television (most notably for his myriad achievements in the acclaimed series, Ozark), has also amassed a solid and lengthy track record as an actor-director-producer in the movies, starting with his starring role as (suitably) a teen actor in the horror-comedy, Teen Wolf Too (1987).
Bateman next appeared as a co-star in the mildly successful ($26 million) ensemble sports comedy, Necessary Roughness (1991), followed by the poorly received Miramax drama, Breaking the Rules (1992), co-produced by Bateman’s father, Kent. After more minor comedies, Bateman nabbed a supporting role in Columbia Pictures’ higher-profile dud, The Sweetest Thing (2002), starring Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, and Selma Blair.
The first solid box-office hit with Jason Bateman in the cast was the big-screen version of Starsky & Hutch (2004), co-written and directed by Todd Phillips and co-starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, grossing $170 million globally. Bateman rejoined Stiller in the large cast of the comedy hit ($168.4 million worldwide), Dodgeball (2004), written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber and co-starring Vince Vaughn, Rip Torn, Christine Taylor, and William Shatner.
Again with Vaughn, Bateman was part of the ensemble of the hit rom-com ($205.7 million), The Break-Up (2006), directed by Peyton Reed and with Jennifer Aniston, Ann-Margret, Judy Davis, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Jon Favreau. For his first vocal animation credit, Bateman joined the cast for the English-language version of Luc Besson’s Arthur and the Invisibles (2006), with the voices of Robert De Niro, Madonna, Snoop Dogg, David Bowie, Harvey Keitel, Anthony Anderson, Jimmy Fallon, and Mia Farrow.
Jason Bateman’s first above-the-title credit was in the poorly-reviewed comedy, The Ex (2006), with Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Charles Grodin, Mia Farrow, Donal Logue, Amy Poehler, Amy Adams, and Fred Armisen. Bateman’s next movie project was writer-director Joe Carnahan’s successful action comedy, Smokin’Aces (2006), with Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, Alicia Keys, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven, and Ryan Reynolds. Bateman was cast in the topical political thriller, The Kingdom (2007), starring Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, and Jennifer Garner, and co-produced by Michael Mann.
Director Jason Reitman’s Oscar-winning writer Diablo Cody’s Juno (2007) marked one of the first notable film roles for Jason Bateman, opposite Elliot (then Ellen) Page, Michael Cera, Garner, Allison Janney, and J.K. Simmons, and nominated for four Oscars (including picture and actress).
In writer-director Zach Helm’s commercially failed ($69.5 million) fantasy movie, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (2007), Bateman played opposite co-stars Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman. Between several cameo movie appearances, Bateman then co-starred with stars Will Smith, Charlize Theron, and Eddie Marsan in the high-grossing ($629 million worldwide) and long-in-development comedy-drama, Hancock (2008).
Bateman played a supporting role in Universal Pictures’ well-received political thriller directed by Kevin Macdonald, State of Play (2009), starring Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, and Helen Mirren. Writer-director Jason Reitman once again cast Bateman in the multi-Oscar-nominated comedy-drama, Up in the Air (2009), starring George Clooney, and the Oscar-nominated pair of Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. Though it failed at the box office, Extract (2009) marked Bateman’s first prominent starring (and big-face-on-poster) role with the brilliant comedy creator, Mike Judge (who wrote and directed).
Jason Bateman earned a major co-starring role opposite Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau (who also co-wrote) in the hit rom-com ($171.8 million globally) Couples Retreat (2009), though it was lambasted by critics, with a 10% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Bateman’s growing star status was confirmed in the rom-com, The Switch (2010), co-starring Jennifer Aniston and earning $50 million worldwide.
Bateman then had an even bigger hit ($209.6 million globally) as a leader of the black comedy, Horrible Bosses (2011), co-starring Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Aniston, Jamie Foxx, Colin Farrell, Kevin Spacey, and Donald Sutherland; this was followed by Bateman as a star of the sequel, Horrible Bosses 2 (2014), with new cast members Chris Pine and Christoph Waltz, and grossing a solid $108 million.
As co-star with Ryan Reynolds, Bateman had less success in the body-switching rom-com, The Change-Up (2011), followed by his supporting role in the successful ($16.8 million) action comedy, Hit & Run (2012), from star/co-director/writer Dax Shepard. Joining the ensemble including Hope Davis, Andrea Riseborough, and Alexander Skarsgård, Bateman starred in the anthology drama written by Andrew Stern, Disconnect (2012), premiering at the Venice and Toronto film festivals.
For the first time, Jason Bateman was a co-star and a lead producer on a hit studio movie ($174 million), Identity Thief (2013), with Melissa McCarthy, Jon Favreau, and Amanda Peet. While it didn’t click with audiences, Bateman scored his first feature movie as director-producer-star for the Black List-nominated Andrew Dodge script, Bad Words (2013), with Kathryn Hahn, Philip Baker Hall, and Allison Janney. Bateman then joined Hanh again (along with a notable cast including Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver, Rose Byrne, Timothy Olyphant, and Shepard) for writer Jonathan Tropper’s screen version of his novel, This is Where I Leave You (2014).
Under co-star Joel Edgerton’s direction, Jason Bateman starred in the psychological thriller, The Gift (2015), written by Edgerton and co-starring Rebecca Hall and earning a robust $60 million worldwide. For his second feature as director, star, and lead producer, Bateman made the film version of Kevin Wilson’s novel, The Family Fang (2015), co-starring Nicole Kidman and Christopher Walken, and premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.
Co-starring in the biggest-grossing movie ($1.02 billion globally) of his career, Bateman played the voice of a sly fox in Disney’s Zootopia (2016), joining the vocal cast of Ginnifer Goodwin, Idris Elba, Bonnie Hunt, Tommy Chong, J.K. Simmons, Octavia Spencer, and Shakira. After a small role in the hit action comedy, Central Intelligence (2016), with Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, Bateman starred in the hit ($114 million) holiday comedy, Office Christmas Party (2016), with Olivia Munn, Jillian Bell, Courtney B. Vance, Rob Corddry, Kate McKinnon, and Jennifer Aniston.
Another big comedy hit followed for star-producer Jason Bateman in Game Night (2018), co-starring Rachel McAdams and grossing a strong $117.7 million globally. Under star-director Ben Affleck, Bateman co-starred with Matt Damon in the sports biopic, Air (2023), and followed this with a role in star-writer-director Charlie Day’s satire, Fool’s Paradise (2023), with Ken Jeong, Kate Beckinsale, Adrien Brody, Jason Sudeikis, Edie Falco, Common, Ray Liotta, and John Malkovich.
Personal life
Jason Bateman was born and raised in Rye, New York, by parents Kent (director-writer-producer) and British-born Victoria Bateman (flight attendant). Bateman has one sister, actor Justine Bateman. The siblings have three half-siblings. When he was age four, Jason Bateman moved with his family to Salt Lake City, and then to Los Angeles. Starting to work as a child actor at age 12, Bateman attended but never graduated from high school, not finishing his final exams while shooting Teen Wolf Too (1987).
Jason and Justine Bateman have noted that they helped support their parents with their acting income; father Kent managed Jason’s acting career until Jason was 20 years old when father and son dissolved their business. Bateman has been married to actor-producer Amanda Anka since 2001; the couple has two children, Maple and Francesca. Bateman’s father-in-law is singer Paul Anka.
Awards
Winner, Best Director—Drama, Emmy Awards (2019); Twelve-time Nominee, Best Lead Actor—Comedy/Best Director—Drama/Best Lead Actor-Drama/Best Drama Series/Best Guest Actor-Drama, Emmy Awards (2005, 2013, 2018-2020, 2022); Three-time Nominee, Best Director-Dramatic Series, Directors Guild of America (2019, 2021, 2023); Nominee, Best New Scripted Series, Independent Spirit Awards (2021); Winner, Best Actor—Comedy or Musical TV Series, Golden Globe Awards (2005); Four-time Nominee, Best Actor—Comedy or Musical TV Series, Golden Globe Awards (2014, 2018-2019, 2021); Two-time Nominee, Best Producer—Episodic TV Drama (2019, 2021); Three-time Winner, Best Actor-Drama Series (2019, 2021, 2023); Ten-time Nominee, Best Ensemble-Comedy Series/Best Actor-Comedy Series/Best Actor-Drama Series/Best Ensemble-Drama Series, Screen Actors Guild Awards (2005-2006, 2014, 2018-2019, 2021, 2023); Winner, Hollywood Walk of Fame Star (2017).
Jason Bateman Movies
Actor
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Previous (26)
- 2023 |
- 2023 |
- 2021 |
Thunder Force
asThe Crab
In a world where supervillains are commonplace, two estranged childhood best friends reunite after one devises a treatment that gives them powers to protect their city.
- 2018 |
Game Night
asMax
A group of friends who meet regularly for game nights find themselves entangled in a real-life mystery when the shady brother of one of them is seemingly kidnapped by dangerous gangsters.
- 2016 |
Central Intelligence
asTrevor
After he reconnects with an awkward pal from high school through Facebook, a mild-mannered accountant is lured into the world of international espionage.
- 2016 |
Office Christmas Party
asJosh Parker
When his uptight CEO sister threatens to shut down his branch, the branch manager throws an epic Christmas party in order to land a big client and save the day, but the party gets way out of hand...
- 2016 |
- 2016 |
The Family Fang
asBaxter Fang
A brother and sister return to their family home in search of their world famous parents who have disappeared.
- -- | as Nick Wilde
- -- | The Giftas Simon
- -- | This Is Where I Leave Youas Judd Altman
- -- | Horrible Bosses 2as Nick Hendricks
- -- | Identity Thiefas Sandy Patterson
- -- | as Nick Wilde
- -- | Hit and Runas Keith Yert
- -- | The Break-Upas Riggleman
- -- | Starsky & Hutchas Kevin
- -- | Dodgeballas Pepper Brooks
- -- | Hancockas Ray
- -- | Junoas Mark Loring
- -- | Horrible Bossesas Nick Hendricks
- -- | as Nick Wilde
- -- | as Nick Wilde
- -- | as Nick Wilde
- -- | as Nick Wilde
- -- | as Jason
Producer
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Previous (2)
- 2018 |
Game Night
A group of friends who meet regularly for game nights find themselves entangled in a real-life mystery when the shady brother of one of them is seemingly kidnapped by dangerous gangsters.
- -- | Identity Thief
Facts About Jason Bateman
Struggles: Jason Bateman has discussed in the press his long struggle with alcohol and drug addiction that he experienced in the 1990s when he was an extremely hard-working and in-demand young actor.
Race Car Driver: Bateman won the celebrity section of the Long Beach Grand Prix in 1987.
