One Of Black Rabbit’s Directors Told Me Why Working With Jason Bateman Is Like Being A ‘Couple In Marriage Counseling’ (And It’s Great)

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Jason Bateman is now known for more than just comedy. He’s gained recognition for dramatic roles and his work as a director and producer, notably on the show *Ozark*. He’s continuing this trend with a new Netflix series, *Black Rabbit*, coming in 2025. I spoke with another director on the show, Ben Semanoff, about what it’s like collaborating with Bateman on both sides of the camera, and Semanoff described it as surprisingly similar to a good marriage counseling session.

The popular show *Ozark* concluded in 2022. Jason Bateman, who directed nine episodes of *Ozark*, is now back on television directing and acting in *Black Rabbit*, available on Netflix. He directed the first two episodes and starred in all eight, working alongside three other directors on the project. One of these directors, Ben Semanoff, recently discussed the show and his working relationship with Bateman in an interview with TopMob.

Because the *Arrested Development* star is involved in so many aspects of a project, he’s not limited to just acting or directing. According to Semanoff, this is actually beneficial. When they work together, it allows for meaningful and productive discussions – he even compared it to a form of marriage counseling.

After working with this duo for years, I’ve realized watching them collaborate is like being a fly on the wall in a couples therapy session. They’re incredibly skilled at dissecting a scene, and the way they work through challenges reminds me of a therapist using puppets to help a couple role-play difficult conversations. It’s fascinating to see how effectively they communicate and build on each other’s ideas – they’ve clearly developed a really constructive approach to creative problem-solving.

Similar to his work on *Ozark*, Jason Bateman is taking on a significant role both in front of and behind the camera for the new show, *Black Rabbit*. Adding to their existing collaboration, director Mark Semanoff also worked on *Ozark*, meaning he and Bateman already had a strong working relationship when they started this exciting new series.

He then described their on-set conversations, which often felt like a therapy session. According to Semanoff, they were able to openly and honestly discuss things, leading to the best decisions for the show.

We often bounce ideas off each other. It’s like saying, ‘I get what you’re aiming for, and that’s cool, but have you considered this?’ We understand each other’s perspectives, and honestly, that playful back-and-forth really helps us both create our best work.

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Black Rabbit is a fantastic series. It’s a dark and intense story about brothers Jake and Vince – played by Jude Law and Jason Bateman – and the problems that arise when Vince comes home.

Episodes five and six, directed by Semanoff, are considered the most intense and dramatic parts of the series. They’re packed with conflict, including a large-scale gunfight, and one episode is uniquely structured like a series of chapters – a first for the show.

I asked the director about a particularly memorable moment between him and Bateman that felt like a scene from marriage counseling. He pointed to a scene in Episode 6 where Vince unexpectedly interrupts Don Harvey’s character, Matt, at his apartment, wearing only his underwear. The director, Semanoff, explained that filming this scene, with all the movement between rooms, presented some challenges and required them to make adjustments on the fly.

These small adjustments eventually led to a different approach to how we filmed the scene. We spent a lot of time playfully discussing whether to shoot it in one continuous take, figuring out camera angles and how to make it all work. It was a really enjoyable process of bouncing ideas off each other and problem-solving together.

That’s a great way to describe this teamwork – it’s a lot like marriage counseling! These creative people need to be able to have honest, sometimes difficult, conversations and share their ideas openly. Being able to give and receive helpful criticism is key to making the final product even better.

There’s a good reason why *Ozark* was so popular, and the strong working relationship between Jason Bateman and the show’s other directors, like Semanoff, likely played a role. Now, it looks like that same creative energy has carried over to *Black Rabbit*, which is now available to watch in its entirety on Netflix.

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2025-09-18 23:39