Jason Kent Bateman, born on January 14, 1969, in Rye, New York, is an American actor, director, and producer.
He began his career as a child actor in the early 1980s, gaining early recognition for roles in television shows like Little House on the Prairie and The Hogan Family.
Over the decades, Bateman has evolved into one of Hollywood’s leading comedic actors, known for his dry wit and ability to portray relatable, often flawed characters.
His career spans television and film, with notable roles in Arrested Development and Ozark, alongside a successful directing and producing career.
Siblings
Jason has one sibling, his older sister, Justine Bateman, born on February 19, 1966.
Like Jason, Justine is an accomplished figure in the entertainment industry, best known for her role as Mallory Keaton on the 1980s sitcom Family Ties.
The siblings grew up in a creative household, with their father, Kent Bateman, working as an actor, writer, and director, and their mother, Victoria Elizabeth, a former flight attendant.
Justine and Jason both started acting as children, and their earnings from early roles significantly supported the family.
Justine, three years Jason’s senior, achieved fame earlier, starring in Family Ties from 1982 to 1989.
Beyond acting, she has pursued filmmaking, writing, and producing, with her directorial debut, Violet, premiering at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival.
She is also an author of two books, Fame: The Hijacking of Reality and Face: One Square Foot of Skin.
Career
Bateman’s career began at age 10 with an educational film, followed by commercials and his television debut in 1981 as James Cooper Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie.
He gained popularity in the 1980s as Derek Taylor on Silver Spoons and as David Hogan on The Hogan Family, where, at 18, he became the youngest director in the Directors Guild of America by helming three episodes.
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His early film roles included Teen Wolf Too in 1987, though the sequel was a commercial disappointment.
The 1990s marked a challenging period, with roles in short-lived series like Simon and Chicago Sons, and Bateman took a hiatus to navigate the transition from child to adult actor.
His career was revitalized in 2003 with the role of Michael Bluth in Arrested Development, a critically acclaimed sitcom that showcased his comedic timing as the sensible straight man in a dysfunctional family.
The show’s cult following led to its revival on Netflix in 2013.
Bateman’s film career flourished in the 2000s with supporting roles in The Break-Up, Juno, and Hancock, and leading roles in comedies like Horrible Bosses, The Switch, and Game Night.
He voiced Nick Wilde in the animated hit Zootopia and took on a dramatic role as Marty Byrde in Ozark, which he also directed and produced.
His directorial work extends to films like Bad Words and The Family Fang.
In 2010, he co-founded DumbDumb, a digital content company, with Will Arnett and Ben Silverman.
Accolades
For Arrested Development, Bateman won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2005 and received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series the same year.
His role in Ozark garnered critical praise, resulting in a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series in 2019 and multiple Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, including Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series in 2019 and 2023.
Bateman’s contributions to Ozark also earned him Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
In 2017, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognizing his impact on the entertainment industry.
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