Jason Bateman Regrets Making This Face on ‘Ozark’
Jason Bateman directs and executive produces Ozark. As the star as well, that means Bateman spends a lot of time looking at his own face. By season 3, he’s gotten mighty tired of some of his own facial tics. Marty Byrde (Bateman) has inherited some of Bateman’s most frustrating qualities.
Bateman was a guest on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast on Aug. 31. He revealed the face he’s trying to stop making. Ozark returns for season 4 in 2021.
Jason Bateman’s friends call him out on his face
Since the Batemans and the Shepards hang out, Shepard pointed out that when they socialize, sometimes Bateman looks unhappy. Bateman said that’s when he’s most comfortable.
People just don’t think I’m having a good time. [My wife] Amanda asks me every time we leave a place, ‘Did you have fun?’ Yeah. That’s me relaxing. I don’t want to insult our great friends by being formal with chatting about boy the traffic was nutso getting over here. I just won’t say anything and then they’ll think he’s not very talkative. No, I’m just super comfortable. You’re like my sister. Let’s just hang out. Two dudes can go on a road trip and not talk for 100 miles and be in bliss with one another.
Jason Bateman, Armchair Expert podcast, 8/31/2020
Jason Bateman is trying to be more expressive
Bateman said he is trying to learn to be more expressive.
“I need to fix that because I’m sending signals sometimes that I don’t want to send,” Bateman said. “I need to throw a smile on every once in a while. People don’t know you’re super blissful as you sit there in a food coma. Trying to read whether I’m into it or not, I’ve got to work on that. My rest face is clearly sending a signal.”
It is starting to affect ‘Ozark’ too
When he’s socializing, Bateman’s resting face only worried his friends that he’s unhappy. On Ozark it could actually compromise the drama of the show.
“There’s something about my brow,” Bateman said. “I guess everyone’s brow, gets a little heavier as they get older. I’m starting to form a constant frown or huh look on my face. So I’m looking angrier on Ozark than my character needs to be. Oftentimes he does need to be angry, but oftentimes he needs to look vulnerable and not able to handle the situation. Sometimes when that brow gets a little heavy, it looks like oh, he’s about to kick your ass. Like I can handle it.”
‘Ozark’ could help Jason Bateman socialize
Ozark is making Bateman more aware of his face. So, it could trickle down into real life too.
“But, it’s not what I’m intending to do,” Bateman said. “It’s a good learning process for me to actually see it. Amanda’s been telling me for a while, ‘Join the conversation, God dammit.’”
