Jason Bateman's Latest Moves: From Podcast Success to a Dark New Netflix Series and Unexpected Discoveries

Jason Bateman has been everywhere lately, starring in and directing projects while also hosting one of the most popular podcasts around. He recently sat down for a chat on "The Best People with Nicolle Wallace." Bateman admitted right away how much he would love to be behind the camera on Wallace's "Deadline: White House" set. From there, they talked about his funny but sometimes prickly friendship with his "Smartless" co-hosts, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. They also thought about how to deal with all the crazy plot twists in today's political world. Bateman even walked Wallace through how to get the right sound of a body hitting the pavement.

Bateman is a big fan of Wallace's show. He told her "The big steady cam tilt down. It’s all so exciting. I’m very addicted to your show, very big fan, very excited to be here." Wallace, on her end, said she is addicted to "SmartLess." She normally believes in never meeting your heroes, but she made an exception for Bateman. She shared that during a tough time with COVID she found herself listening to "SmartLess" and laughing until she cried. She realized then that she might not be okay. She would simply weep as they talked. She felt connected to their conversations and how they helped with isolation.

Bateman was surprised people listened to their podcast at first. He said it was just a selfish way for them to stay in touch when they could not be in person. He said "it was kind of this zoom that turned into, you know, something to monetize, as Sean is so good at doing." Hayes saw a way to make money. Bateman thought the podcast would end after COVID was over. But then there was such a large audience that they kept getting calls from interesting people. He mentioned you do not just bump into people like sports stars Steph Curry or Shohei Ohtani. But through the podcast they could talk to folks who could make them much smarter. He called it their "little one-hour elevator breakdown."

Bateman explained that they never thought anyone would listen. It cost almost nothing to put out an episode. He said "you can go down to the Apple Store and get a podcast mic and stick it in your laptop. That’s all we do really, it’s just the Zoom." People probably checked them out because the first guests were their famous friends who were kind enough to say yes. He believes listeners liked being able to do other things while half-listening to them. Bateman emphasized that they are not journalists. They do not claim to know much about anything. They are happy to have smarter people answer their questions which come from a normal person's view.

Jason Bateman's New Projects: Black Rabbit and Beyond The SmartLess Studio

Getting the Details on the New Netflix Thriller 'Black Rabbit' and Its Talented Team

Jason Bateman has a new limited series called Black Rabbit coming out on Netflix this September. It has eight episodes. Bateman and Jude Law play brothers who run a night spot in New York City’s Lower East Side. The first episode shows a break-in at this place. A couple of people get shot and a lot of jewelry is stolen. Then the show flashes back six months. Viewers spend a few episodes catching up to that moment. Then it shows who did it. The last two episodes are about what happens after that. Bateman is very proud of this show. He thinks it is the best thing he has ever done. He is really excited for it to come out.

This show is shaping up to be a partial reunion for the Ozark team. Laura Linney is directing episodes three and four of Black Rabbit. Ben Semanoff, an Ozark director, will helm episodes five and six. Bateman himself is directing the first two episodes. Movie director Justin Kurzel is overseeing episodes seven and eight. This is a big project with many talented people involved. Given Bateman's strong track record with Netflix, especially after the success of Ozark, Black Rabbit has the potential to be a huge hit. It sounds like a crime thriller with some humor, which is a mix Bateman handles very well.

From Dunwoody Filming Locations to Unforgettable Sound Effects and Behind The Scenes Thoughts

Filming for Black Rabbit recently took place in Dunwoody Georgia. An HBO film crew set up shop in Dunwoody Village. Bateman and Jude Law were both seen during filming. The shopping center houses a dance studio that confirmed its space was used for filming. This gives the show a real-world setting. It also shows how large-scale productions can come to smaller communities.

Bateman also shared a story about perfecting the sound for a body falling. He said he wanted to have a dummy do that part. He did not want it to be computer-generated. So they dropped a 200-pound dummy from about 300 feet. They had to put it on cables in case the wind blew it towards him because he was standing quite close to where it landed. He said in post-production the amount of time he spent trying to get the sound right of what a body would sound like was dark work but fun. He mentioned that in Black Rabbit a body falls at one point. He is working with the same sound crew and mixing team. The body drops from a lower height so they had to adjust the sound. This shows his commitment to making things look and sound real.

Bateman expressed how much he loves directing more than acting. He feels he is in charge of what people are hearing seeing and thinking as a director. With acting he is mostly responsible for his one character. He does not mean actors do easy work. But directing means knowing about and preparing for many more things. He said he loves it because it is harder and uses all the things he has tried to learn since he was a kid. He also shared that it is nice for "crazy to talk to crazy" when actors and directors work together, given the nature of pretending to be other people.

The Unlikely Stories Connecting Jason Bateman to Everyday Life And More

A Millcreek Family Time Capsule Discovered by Chance In an Old Home

In a surprising story from Utah a Millcreek resident found a bag full of personal items belonging to the Jason Bateman family. The resident had just moved into his new home when he discovered the bag. He was shocked at first. He thought there was no way it could be the same Bateman family. He was pretty sure the box and bag were not there when he first looked around the place. But on his second day doing another walk around he noticed a big red box and a big green bag.

Inside the bag were family history items photos and handwritten letters. The resident tried to reach out to Bateman's agents but could not. The bag was forgotten for a while until recently. The resident was still skeptical until he found a specific newspaper clipping. It talked about Jason Bateman on "Little House on the Prairie." That is when the pieces started to come together. He said it was shocking to find these items. He thought "Seemingly they lived within five minutes of where we live now, just who would have thought? Small world." He wants to get the items back to the right person and hopes Jason Bateman will see his message.

This story highlights the unexpected connections people can have to public figures. It is a reminder that even celebrities have personal histories that are important to them. The resident's effort to return the items is a kind gesture. It shows how small moments can lead to interesting discoveries. This adds another layer to Jason Bateman’s public image, showing a personal side beyond his roles and interviews.

Jason Bateman's Enduring Appeal and His Thoughts on Today's Complex World

Reflecting on His Career Longevity and His Perspective on Societal Challenges

Jason Bateman's long career and success as an actor definitely give him respect as a director. Even though he and his "SmartLess" co-hosts often make fun of each other there is a deep respect among them. Will Arnett recently made a "really cool tough dramatic and comedic movie" that Bradley Cooper directed. Bateman said there is a good chance the film will get nominations. He has all the respect in the world for Will. Sean Hayes won a Tony for his Broadway play "Good Night Oscar." When Bateman and Arnett saw it, they cried. Bateman joked that Hayes was "ruining the podcast" because they could not make fun of him anymore. He said they had too much respect. He believes if they do anything well, it is that they are just being normal people trying to ask good questions.

Bateman is also fascinated by politics. He said he is "very addicted" to the "Trump show." He finds it a social and political phenomenon he cannot fully grasp. He cannot stop watching what Trump does and says. He connects this to the millions of people who would vote for Trump again. He thinks it is tragic that the people least able to handle the results of a Trump administration are many of those who voted for him. He hopes they learn a lesson, even if it is a hard one. He does not wish harm on anyone but finds it sad. He thinks it is the only way to "break the fever."

Bateman often talks about the issue of truth in media. He suggested that news outlets should label whether their content is reporting facts or opinion. He believes this would help people understand what they are consuming. He also believes that people face-to-face do not hate each other as much as they do online. He hopes for a return to "retail politics" where people talk and listen to each other directly. He is concerned that voters are making decisions based on information that might not be true, especially if they are only getting it from certain sources.

He feels heartbroken that many people shield themselves from the current state of affairs. He believes they could help fix things. He does not think it would take many of them to realize their mistake. He believes they deeply care about the country. He thinks they love the flag and the military. He just wishes they could see the situation clearly. Bateman's candid comments show his care for the country and his desire for understanding among people.