Jason Bateman

Bateman said he was once arrested in Monaco for being drunk and disorderly.

“I was arrested in Monaco for being drunk and disorderly”

SmartLess: "Timothy Olyphant" (Jul 20, 2026) · Listen from 8:32

Bateman says sharing films with his daughter matters to him because it recreates the shared references he had with his father.

“Because that's what I had with my dad. It was great subject matter and shared references”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 34:20

Bateman countered that among knowledgeable people Carey Mulligan is not underrated.

“I will say, to those who know what they're talking about, she is not underrated. They're talking plenty about her”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 47:38

Bateman said he leaves parties early because he is an introvert and no longer drinks.

“I'm an introvert and also I don't drink anymore”

SmartLess: "Amy Adams" (Jun 22, 2026) · Listen from 53:54

Bateman praised Adams's on-camera subtlety, contrasting it with stage acting.

“theater is sort of at odds with your incredible level of subtlety when you're doing on-camera work”

SmartLess: "Amy Adams" (Jun 22, 2026) · Listen from 35:48

Bateman describes Hanks as authentic and a natural leader without arrogance.

“He is completely personable and authentic. He is every bit a leader that you'd want him to be”

SmartLess: "RE-RELEASE: Tom Hanks" (Jun 11, 2026) · Listen from 1:00:14

Bateman argued that Thompson is treated as a respected actor rather than a celebrity, whose sightings cause a frenzy.

“She's a respected actor as opposed to a celebrity. You see a celebrity out, it's like a giraffe has escaped the zoo”

SmartLess: "Emma Thompson" (Jun 29, 2026) · Listen from 12:19

Bateman argues that celebrity culture is permissive enough that famous people need not grow, making Lopez's self-work notable.

“there's this real permissive culture around celebrity and you don't kind of have to be the best part of you and you don't have to grow”

SmartLess: "Jennifer Lopez" (Jun 15, 2026) · Listen from 40:18

Bateman said Fincher sometimes uses many takes to get actors to stop performing and simply say the lines.

“sometimes he'll do a bunch of takes just to get the actor to stop acting”

SmartLess: "Timothy Olyphant" (Jul 20, 2026) · Listen from 51:25

Bateman said directing actors is about people skills because an actor who leaves a note session feeling bad gives a worse performance.

“you're going to get a worse performance if you leave that note session with the actor and the actor feels bad”

SmartLess: "Timothy Olyphant" (Jul 20, 2026) · Listen from 43:19

Bateman states that I Want Your Sex will be released on July 23.

“So I want your sex comes out July 23rd, which is in about 10 days from this air date here”

SmartLess: "Olivia Wilde" (Jul 13, 2026) · Listen from 58:33

Bateman said he considered celebrities visiting actors backstage uninvited presumptuous and a delay to actors' rest.

“And I've just thought that that would be presumptuous and also would delay those actors getting home and resting”

SmartLess: "Ike Barinholtz" (Jul 6, 2026) · Listen from 10:59

Bateman argued that true relaxation sits next to boredom and that his children's generation does not understand its value.

“I really feel like true relaxation lives somewhere next door to boredom”

SmartLess: "Emma Thompson" (Jun 29, 2026) · Listen from 37:35

Bateman argued that ride-hailing has reduced teenagers' eagerness to get a driver's license.

“this generation, though, is because of Uber. There's no real thirst”

SmartLess: "Amy Adams" (Jun 22, 2026) · Listen from 29:06

Bateman said he optioned and produced the adaptation of Jon Krakauer's book, which features a Bateman.

“there's a Bateman that runs through that great John Krakauer book that I optioned and produced”

SmartLess: "Nick Jonas" (May 25, 2026) · Listen from 3:50

Bateman suggested AI can offer artists a first-draft pass at creative work.

“any kind of art, I think AI, uh, I hear can give you a first sort of pass at it”

SmartLess: "Nick Jonas" (May 25, 2026) · Listen from 37:19

Bateman says what angers him most is people who punch down and are mean because they can be.

“I hate when people, like, punch down, you know?”

SmartLess: "RE-RELEASE: Nate Bargatze" (May 21, 2026) · Listen from 52:08

Bateman shared advice he received that children leaving for college is gradual, since it is an independent 18-year-old, not a young child, who leaves.

“you're not losing your four-year-old. Like, it's not your four-year-old is not leaving”

SmartLess: "Jonah Hill LIVE" (May 8, 2026) · Listen from 1:07:12

Bateman said he attended an experimental school called Heartlight started by a friend of his father in Calabasas.

“A friend of my father's started one of these things in his home out in Calabasas. And it was called Heartlight”

SmartLess: "Colin Jost" (May 4, 2026) · Listen from 22:26

Bateman advises that loving one's work enough to do it unpaid is the fuel for success and longevity.

“if you are lucky enough to get paid a little bit to do something that you would pay somebody else to do because you love it so much”

SmartLess: "Nick Kroll" (Apr 27, 2026) · Listen from 33:26