Why Jason Bateman called Michael Cera a “fucking dickhead”
Everybody loves Jason Bateman, right? Best known for his comedic roles, the star has also proven himself more than capable of excelling at dramatic tasks. His character in Juno, a seemingly chill adult with a dark secret, is one of the most compelling parts of the movie, and his work on Netflix’s Ozark is nothing short of chilling. Even so, he’s still best known for the funny stuff. Horrible Bosses, Game Night, This is Where I Leave You. The list goes on and on. Then there’s the case of Arrested Development.
Bateman starred in the legendary sitcom as Michael Bluth, a member of a once-prosperous family forced to adapt to a massive downfall in fortune. Michael is the show’s straight man, the only sane voice in a family of eccentrics. Despite the show initially getting cancelled due to low ratings, it proved so popular that it was rescued by Netflix in 2011, which commissioned a fifth and final season. If you were to conduct a survey to find the greatest comedies of the 21st century so far, Arrested Development would be a frequent reply.
One of the many great things about the show is the number of famous faces that appear in it. Alongside Bateman, you have Will Arnett as George Oscar Bluth (Gob), a failed magician, David Cross as Tobias Funke, a neurotic ‘never-nude’ former psychiatrist, and Jeffrey Tambor and Jessica Walter as the insane heads of the family, George Sr and Lucille.
There’s also a chance to catch a glimpse of a young Michael Cera. Long before they co-starred in Juno, the two played father and son on the show. Cera’s character, George Michael (yes, you read that right), is the typically awkward young man who would define the actor’s reputation for the rest of his career. Only this character is defined by having a crush on his cousin, Mae (Alia Shawkat). That’s a pretty unique feature.
You’d think that working with Bateman at such a young age – and playing his on-screen son for four whole seasons – would endear Cera to his older co-star. According to an interview he did with The Guardian, however, that’s not the case. “Oh God, Jason Bateman. He’s a complete terror,” he said. “The things that come out of his mouth … Just pure … filth.” When given the chance to respond in a different Guardian interview, Bateman simply replied, “Well, he’s a fucking dickhead, isn’t he?”
Of course, he was only kidding, as he quickly explained. “Such a great sense of humour, so subtle, even when he was 14,” Bateman said of Cera. “I bet he was a fun interview!” That’s how old the younger star would have been when the first season of Arrested Development was being filmed. It was the first time the Canadian had broken through into the American mainstream. It wasn’t until the show finished that he began to make a splash in the movie business, so, for the longest time, Cera was a TV star first and foremost.
Both Bateman and Cera have come a long way since those early sitcom days, and it’s nice to see that they still enjoy such a fun, jokey relationship after all these years. Or they actually hate each other. It could go either way.
