The ‘Ozark’ and ‘Arrested Development’ star opened up about a drunken night in Monaco that landed him in police custody.
Jason Bateman has told a crazy story from his younger days. The actor recalled a night in Monaco that ended with him getting arrested. He was wearing a leopard print outfit at the time. Bateman shared the story on the July 20 episode of his SmartLess podcast. He hosts the show with Will Arnett and Sean Hayes.
The 57-year-old actor said he was “drunk and disorderly” that night. He had just come from the casinos. He was drinking cheap champagne and had a pocket full of casino chips. “I just got rocked,” Bateman said on the podcast.
The Night That Ended With Police
Bateman did not say exactly when this happened. But he has talked before about his wild party days. Those days ended in the early 2000s. He got married to Amanda Anka in 2001. That was a turning point for him.
The actor painted a clear picture of that night in Monaco. He was fresh from gambling at the casinos. He had been drinking cheap champagne. He was carrying a pocket full of chips. That is when the police stepped in.
“I was arrested in Monaco for being drunk and disorderly in a nice little leopard outfit.”
Bateman’s co-hosts found the story funny. They joked that his description could be the title of his biography.
A Different Time Without Cameras
Bateman knows he was lucky. His wild years happened before social media and camera phones. He said he “got away with a lot” because of that. But he also admitted it was “close a few times”.
The actor talked about this in a February interview with The Hollywood Reporter. He said he was living at a time without the kind of public recording we have today. If that night in Monaco happened now, it would likely be all over the internet.
How Jason Bateman Got Sober
Bateman’s wife Amanda Anka helped him change his life. They had several talks about his drinking. She did not demand that he stop right away. But she pointed out that his behavior was unpredictable when he drank.
“She didn’t demand that I completely absolve, but that was sort of the back-and-forth.”
Bateman thought about it. He felt he could get sober in six months. But he decided to do it sooner. He said it would ease the tension in his marriage.
“If I could land this plane now, it would alleviate a lot of the tension, so let’s just f*cking do it.”
Bateman has been sober for decades now. He calls himself “California sober”. That means he stays away from alcohol and hard drugs but still uses marijuana.
Becoming a Father Changed Everything
Becoming a father was a big reason for Bateman to change. He has two daughters with Anka. Francesca is 19 and Maple is 14.
Bateman wanted to get his life in order before having kids. He knew he wanted a successful career. But he also knew he needed to be stable for his family.
“I was conscious the whole time of wanting to get a lot of these boxes checked before I became a father.”
He wanted to build a stable home while continuing his acting career.
A Career Spanning Four Decades
Jason Bateman has been acting for over 40 years. He started as a child actor on Little House on the Prairie. He played James Cooper Ingalls on that show.
He later became known for his comedy work. His role as Michael Bluth on Arrested Development made him a star. The show is still seen as one of the best comedy series of its time.
Bateman also showed he could do serious drama. He starred in and directed Ozark on Netflix. The show ran for four seasons. It earned many award nominations. It introduced him to a whole new generation of viewers.
He has also been in movies like the Horrible Bosses films. And he keeps busy with the SmartLess podcast.
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Looking Back Without Regret
Bateman thinks his past struggles helped him become a better actor. He said that facing hard times early in his career taught him important lessons.
“Were it not for some of that cliff-hanging earlier in my career, I don’t know if I’d be as good as I am at the caretaking of these opportunities.”
He said he has seen what it is like to have few prospects. That experience keeps him motivated. He does not take his success for granted.
The Monaco arrest story is just one example of his wilder days. But it shows how far he has come. From a drunk and disorderly night in a leopard outfit to one of Hollywood’s most respected actors. Bateman has built a career and a life that many admire.
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