Jason Bateman is quick to admit that he reads every review that comes his way.
In a new interview with Squirethe actor explained why audience 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.
Since he creates TV shows and films for audiences, he believes their opinions matter. But more than anything, he wants to protect his peace of mind.
“The most important thing is that it’s 72 degrees and there’s a breeze,” he said.
Staying happy and grounded takes work, and he joked that you can try to escape the hardest feelings, but “you’re sober in the morning and you have to experience those hours, too.”
There’s one review he’ll never forget, a rough review of Ozark from The New York Times.
Bateman remembers 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 “made fun of me” because he could appreciate a cleverly written review.
Critics called her performance “the aggressive blandness of an airline gate agent”, while praising Laura Linney as the true star of the series.
But Bateman’s career path tells a different story.
As Ozark became a major hit on Netflix, garnering four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor, as well as multiple Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations.
For Bateman, feedback, good or bad, is part of the job. What really matters to him is remaining proud of his work and keeping his inner world stable, even when someone else tries to upset it.
