Jason Bateman reflects on early career pressure to support his family

Jason Bateman says he felt significant pressure around money while working as a child actor.

The 57-year-old began acting at the age of 11 in Little House on the Prairie, where he played James Cooper Ingalls. He later became known for shows and films such as Arrested Development, Horrible Bosses, and Ozark.

Speaking at a live recording of the Good One podcast at the Tribeca Festival, Bateman admitted to a “complicated relationship” with money when he was growing up in Hollywood.

“Both my parents were my manager and so…what I made was very helpful to our bottom line each month, and so there was a great deal of pressure to kind of, you know, like don't get fired.”

Bateman also said school added more stress. He needed to keep a minimum grade average to keep his work permit. 

“If you don't…keep a C average in school, you don't get your work permit, and you're fired,” adding that the cycle repeated every six months while television seasons stretched for much of the year.

He said this environment was difficult and sometimes caused anxiety. But it also taught him early lessons about earning money and handling it.

Bateman said that because he made his own money as a child, he learned he could earn it again if needed. 

"I have got some friends that are incredibly wealthy because their parents were incredibly wealthy and they inherited a bunch of money, and they're the tightest people I know because they never... they didn't make that money, and so they feel every dollar out they're not going to be able to get back," he explained.

He said that experience gave him a sense of confidence about finances later in life.

Bateman added that he now also feels lucky in his career as he has reached a point where he no longer needs to take roles just for money.

“I feel enormously fortunate that things have worked out for me,” Bateman told Vulture. “I don't have to take jobs that aren't creatively exciting for me.”