Jason Bateman Biography

American actor Jason Bateman is a former child star that found new life through the critically praised television series Arrested Development as well as the hit comedy Juno.

Jason Kent Bateman was born January 14, 1969 in Rye, New York. His parents were Victoria Bateman and Kent Bateman, a Maltese flight attendant and writer/director respectively. With acting throughout the family line, Bateman is also sisters with Justine Bateman of Family Ties fame.

On the education front, Bateman graduated from Pacific Hills School in 1993.

Starting acting from an early age, Bateman made his onscreen debut in 1981 with Little House on the Prairie. He appeared beside Melissa Gilbert and Michael Landon until 1982.

He followed with a stint on Silver Spoons from 1982 to 1984, sharing the screen with Rick Schroder and Erin Gray.

Bouncing from television series to television series, Bateman once again found steady work with It’s Your Move. He played Matthew Burton from 1984 to 1985.

But it was 1986 that finally brought Bateman out of the supporting cast and into a starring role. Entitled Valerie, Bateman played David Hogan for the entirety of the show’s run, which lasted until 1991. During this time, he shared the screen with Luis Daniel Ponce, Jeremy Licht, Josh Taylor, and Valerie Harper.

With the end of the series, Bateman could no longer claim his child star appeal. As such, his career saw a dramatic downturn for the next decade.

His first notable return occurred in 2001 with the television series Some of My Best Friends. He also made a return to the big screen with 2002’s The Sweetest Thing opposite Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, and Selma Blair.

But his true return to the top was marked by a starring role in the irreverent comedy series Arrested Development. Winning the role of Michael Bluth in 2003, he was with the program until its cancellation in 2006.

Critically successful, Bateman took home the Golden Globe for his work with Arrested Development. It also earned him an Emmy nomination.

The show quickly won fans and was considered unduly axed comic genius. The positive reviews also helped boost the careers of fellow costars Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, Michael Cera, David Cross, Jeffrey Tambor, and others.

After appearing in Peter Berg’s The Kingdom with Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, and Jennifer Garner, Bateman won a spot in Jason Reitman’s newest comedy Juno.

An unexpected Oscar favorite, Bateman appeared with Garner, Cera, Ellen Page, Olivia Thirlby, JK Simmons, and Allison Janney.

Most recently, he took to the screen with Will Smith, Charlize Theron, and Jae Head for the blockbuster hit Hancock.

In his personal life, Bateman married Amada Anka (Paul Anka’s daughter) on July 3, 2001. They welcomed their first child on October 28, 2006. The couple is currently still together.