Jason Bateman isn’t shy about admitting that he reads every review that comes his way.
In a new interview with Esquirethe actor opened up about why the audience’s reaction matters to him and how he’s learned to deal with criticism, even when it stings.
“I’m a people pleaser. I care what people think of me,” Bateman said, explaining that he checks what critics and viewers say about his projects.
As he creates television and film for the public, he believes their opinions matter. But more than anything, he wants to protect his own peace of mind.
“The most important thing is that the weather inside is 72 and windy,” he said.
Staying happy and grounded takes work, and he joked that you can try to escape the more difficult emotions, but “you’re sober in the morning, and you have to live in those hours, too.”
There is one piece of criticism he will never forget, a scathing review of Ozark from New York Times.
Bateman recalled laughing at the creativity of the negative take: “Mike Hale basically said I was so boring to look at that it reminded him of the person he buys a ticket from at the airport.”
He said he “laughed at me” because he can appreciate a cleverly written critique.
The review called his performance “the aggressive blandness of an airline gate agent”, while praising Laura Linney as the real standout of the show.
But Bateman’s career trajectory told a different story.
Seam Ozark became a huge hit on Netflix, he earned four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor along with several Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nods.
For Bateman, feedback, good or bad, comes with the job. What really matters to him is to remain proud of the work and keep his inner world stable even when someone else tries to shake it.
