Jason Bateman Thinks That Charli xcx Interview Went 'Great'

To promote his new HBO series, DTF St. Louis, Jason Bateman is the latest cover interview for The Hollywood Reporter and it’s admittedly pretty interesting. I genuinely had no idea what he was up to between The Hogan Family and Arrested Development, and it appears the answer is pretty dark stuff. I also didn’t know much about his dynamic with his parents, and uh, yikes.

Keeping with the candid vibes, writer Lacey Rose broached the topic of Charli xcx. If you’re not aware, there was a mini-controversy earlier in the month after Bateman asked the singer about having kids during an appearance on his SmartLess podcast. When she replied that she don’t want to have children, that’s when Bateman stepped in it.

“I mean I guess I’m backing into giving myself a half-a**ed compliment here, but my wife did not want to have kids, so the story goes,” Bateman said. “She said once we started going out she thought, ‘OK, I think I can have a kid with this guy.’ So you might find somebody.”

Small little detail: Charli xcx is married, which she revealed, and Bateman immediately fired off a self-deprecating joke in response. “There you go. I gotta read a newspaper one of these days.”

Naturally, this was potent internet fodder because in the year 2026 dudes should not be asking women when they’re going to start pumping out babies. It also didn’t look great that Bateman didn’t know the bare minimum about a guest, but apparently, that’s part of the concept? As for his response to the backlash, here’s what he told THR and how it framed that response:

“We were having a great conversation about her life growing up as an only child. It seemed like a very natural follow-up to that. That’s all it was. I don’t really have much [else] to say about it, except that it is always interesting and valuable and educational to hear people’s thoughts, reactions and feelings to anything I say or do.”

The irony of the whole thing is that Bateman, for as long as he can remember, has wanted a traditional family — a chance to create the kind of “normalcy” that he didn’t have in his own home growing up. That “Grandpa” nickname isn’t just because he likes to turn in early; it’s because Bateman likes to be home with his wife and daughters. “I’m a softie,” he says, proudly. “I like moving the Elf on the Shelf every day. In fact, we’ve got a new little thing, a troll, that I move around now in the offseason. But I love it all: the slippers, the fireplace, the nesting.”

So, Jason Bateman asked Charli xcx when she’s going to get married and have a baby because he had such a bad childhood and loves parenting? Is that what we’re going with? OK.

I’ll let everyone make of that what they will because I’m sure the reactions will range from “this was a big nothing” to “Jason Bateman won’t stop until The Handmaid’s Tale is real.” You kids have fun.