‘Ozark’ Actor Jason Bateman Is Married to the Daughter of a Legendary Singer
Jason Bateman is a director, producer, and actor known for his roles in popular shows like Ozark and Arrested Development. His father, Kent Bateman, is an actor and director as is his sister, Justine Bateman, who played Mallory Keaton in the popular ’80s sitcom Family Ties. Not only does the Horrible Bosses star come from a family in the entertainment business, so does his wife.
Here’s who Bateman is married to and how many children they have together.
Bateman met his wife when they were teenagers
Bateman was born on Jan. 14, 1969, in Rye, New York, and began his acting career at a young age playing James Cooper on Little House on the Prairie and Derek Taylor on Silver Spoons.
By the time he was 18, Bateman was working on another TV show (The Hogan Family) when he met his future wife. They started out as friends and 10 years into their friendship began dating.
“I looked around at the relationships that were the longest in my life, and they were the ones I had with my friends,” Bateman previously told The Daily Telegraph. “I thought, if I only wanted to get married once, I should probably marry a friend.”
Who his wife’s father is
And marry they did. On July 3, 2001, Bateman and Amanda Anka said “I do.”
His bride is the daughter of legendary singer and songwriter Paul Anka. Her mother is former model Anne de Zoghed who was married to the Canadian musician from 1963 until 2000. Amanda has four sisters — Alexandra Anka, Anthea Anka, Alicia Anka, Amelia Anka — and one half-brother Ethan Anka. Amanda also has acting credits to her name for small parts in the films Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Taxi, and Lost Highway.
Bateman admitted that after tying the knot, he still enjoyed his partying ways and it almost cost him his marriage to Amanda. He recalled the question he asked himself to Details (per Us Weekly): “Do you want to continue being great at being in your 20s, or do you want to step up and graduate into adulthood?”
Bateman chose his marriage and began attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
How many children Bateman and Amanda have together
Bateman made his family his top priority and on Oct. 28, 2006, he and Amanda welcomed their first child, Francesca Nora Bateman. Their second daughter, Maple Sylvie Bateman, was born six years later on Feb. 10, 2012.
Shortly after Maple’s birth, Bateman gushed to Redbook: “Being a father of two is everything I wanted. I’m a big fan of marriage and being a dad.”
RELATED – ‘Ozark’: How Much Jason Bateman Gets Paid for His Role On the Show
