Arrested Development creator was 'nervous' to cast Jason Bateman after actor's failed pilots, directors say

Bateman was "viewed as baggage at that time," said Joe and Anthony Russo, who helmed a few episodes of the beloved comedy.

By

Jessica Wang

Published on March 14, 2025 02:42PM EDT

Comments

Jason Bateman in ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT — Jason Bateman on 'Arrested Development'. Credit:
20th Century Fox Film Corp/Courtesy Everett

Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz worried it might be "bad luck" to cast Jason Bateman in the beloved show, say directors Joe and Anthony Russo.

The brothers — who helmed a few episodes of the Emmy-winning sitcom, including the pilot — recently recalled Hurwitz's reluctance when asked who the hardest character was to cast and they answered Bateman's Michael Bluth.

"We literally had to bring him into the studio four times to get him cast because he had been in a bunch of failed pilots," Joe Russo said in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "So he was viewed as baggage at that time."

He continued, "Mitch was very nervous. He was like, 'This could be bad luck if we cast him.'"

ony Hale, David Cross, Will Arnett, Portia de Rossi, Micheal Cera, Alia Shawkat, Jason Bateman, Jessica Walter, and Jeffrey Tambor in ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Season 2 — The cast of 'Arrested Development'.
20th Century Fox Film Corp/Courtesy Everett

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Bateman, who began his career as a child actor on hit shows such as Little House on the Prairie and Silver Spoons, experienced a bit of a career stall after appearing in a number of pilots that were not picked up. However, his performance on Arrested Development, considered one of his best roles, earned him several Emmy nominations.

The Fox series ran for three seasons between 2003 and 2006 before Netflix revived it for two more seasons in 2013. The show centered on Bateman's level-headed Michael Bluth, who is forced to take over the family real estate business after his father (played by Jeffrey Tambor) is imprisoned for a white-collar crime. The job is complicated by the rest of his eccentric and dysfunctional family.

"The head of the studio hated how we shot the pilot," Joe Russo told THR. "I remember her calling us on day three and saying, 'These dailies are never going to come together.'"

Anthony Russo chimed in, "But the show's lifeline was, everybody's assistant loved the show."

"Then a year later, we all won Emmys," added Joe Russo. "And sort of the rest is history."