Jason Bateman made a rare comment about how his success as a child star inspired his sister, Justine Bateman, to get into acting.
During the Tuesday, December 16, episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, host David Letterman asked Jason, 56, about how he started in the industry.
“I got very lucky with commercials early on and did a bunch of those,” Jason recalled before referencing his sister. “Justine saw those were bringing in some money and so she got an agent too.”
Jason broke down exactly how much money he earned, adding, “Back in those days, if you got a national commercial, you could expect to make $30,000 a commercial once it is done playing in three months.”
The actor later starred on shows such as Little House on the Prairie, The Hogan Family, Teen Wolf Too and Necessary Roughness. Along with his appearances on the big screen, he became a household name with roles on Arrested Development and Ozark, which earned him a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy.
Justine, 59, meanwhile, appeared on Family Ties, Satisfaction, Men Behaving Badly, The TV Set, Desperate Housewives and Californication. She has since transitioned into directing with movies such as Violet.
Despite navigating life in the public eye together, Jason and Justine have rarely discussed their relationship. Jason recently offered an update on where he stands with his sister.
“There isn’t the typical ‘We see each other every Thanksgiving or every Christmas and our kids want to be together,’” Jason, who shares two kids with wife Amanda Anka, revealed to Esquire earlier this month. “There isn’t that. … In a great way.
Jason clarified that the siblings aren’t in a bad place, but they “don’t see each other a ton” these days.
“Our conversations are the rich conversations you would have with an adult friend, not the kind of petulant back-and-forth you might have with your adult sibling,” he said. “We hang out, and we’re nice to each other because we respect one another as individuals regardless of the blood thing. I’m seeing her for lunch next week.”
Justine previously took to social media with a brutally honest message.
“Anyone bringing up my brother to me for any other reason than to say you like his new upcoming show, or any of his past work, will be muted at best, and blocked at worst,” she wrote via X in September.
Justine appeared to shut down speculation of a falling out between her and Jason.
“I’m not interested in your fantasy about some imagined conflict between the two of us over your political ideologies. Really, it’s sick,” she fired back. “So, keep it up. It makes it easy for me if [you] identify yourselves, so I can make an X setting adjustment to never have to hear from you, ever again.”
