Jason Bateman Reacts to Criticism of Comment on Charli XCX Having Kids

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Jason Bateman is ready to record his thoughts.

Jason Bateman, known for his role in Arrested Development, responded to criticism he received after suggesting to Charli XCX – a guest on his SmartLess podcast – that her decision not to have children might change if she met the right person.

The Grammy-winning artist revealed on a February 2nd podcast that she’s married to George Daniel, the drummer for The 1975. She also shared her thoughts on having children, saying the idea of naming a child seemed like the most exciting part, which made her realize she might not be ready yet.

Following the release of the episode, many fans expressed their disappointment with Jason’s questions. One viewer even called the interview “one of the worst things ever made.” Others noted that the interviewer seemed unfamiliar with Charli’s long-stated preference not to have children, something she’s discussed throughout her almost twenty years as a musician.

The actor from Zootopia 2, who has two daughters – 19-year-old Francesca and 14-year-old Maple – with his wife Amanda Anka, hadn’t said anything about the interview until recently, but he’s now shared his reaction to the controversy it caused.

He explained to The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on February 18th that the topic came up naturally during a conversation about her childhood. He said it simply felt like a logical next step in their discussion.

The 57-year-old stated he didn’t have much more to add, but emphasized that he always finds it insightful and helpful to hear how people respond to his words and actions.

Throughout his life in the spotlight, Jason has learned from many experiences. Starting with his role on Little House on the Prairie at age 11, he’s faced both successes and challenges. A slow period in the 1990s, when work was scarce, unfortunately led to struggles with substance abuse.

He admitted he was lucky to have grown up before social media and camera phones were common, saying it allowed him to get into some trouble without getting caught, though he had a few close calls.

With support from his wife, Amanda, Jason overcame his struggles with addiction and was able to concentrate on building his career.

He explained that she wasn’t asking him to be completely free of responsibility, but they were going back and forth about it. He felt it would take about six months to fully get his life back on track, but if he could resolve the situation immediately, it would ease a lot of the stress, so he just wanted to get it done.

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2026-02-20 03:19