Jason Bateman details Monaco arrest while dressed in 'leopard outfit'
Mia Williams
Featured Image Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Jason Bateman recalled the time he 'got away' after being arrested in Monaco for 'drunk and disorderly' behavior, while revealing who inspired him to get sober.
"It happened to me once," the star recalled on his podcast Smartless, as he detailed the moment police put him in handcuffs after a night in the casinos.
The 57-year-old explained: "I was arrested in Monaco for being drunk and disorderly in a nice little leopard outfit fresh from the casinos, all banged up on cheap champagne and a pocket full of chips. Just got rocked."
Previously speaking with the Hollywood Reporter about his antics, he added: "Fortunately, I was living at a time without social media and camera phones, so I got away with a lot, but it was definitely close a few time."
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But since booking his role in Arrested Development in 2003, Bateman has turned his life around.
He noted that he has abstained from alcohol and drugs in recent years, except for marijuana.
"I've got friends who had bottoms that were pretty chilling, but I was lucky enough to recognize, 'This is probably as far as I should go if I still want to accomplish the things that I want to get to'," he said.
The star added: "I was conscious the whole time of wanting to get a lot of these boxes checked before I became a father and a guy with a career that I not only wanted but had a feeling I might be able to get it if I just got the right job."
But ultimately, it was his wife Amanda who inspired him to truly clean up his act.
"Amanda and I definitely had a few negotiations about the point at which the [partying] spigot was going to completely turn off," he outlined.
And while abstaining wasn't a completely deal-breaker, the actor admitted: "I was like, well, I feel like my sobriety ETA is six months away, but if I could land this plane now, it would alleviate a lot of the tension, so let’s just f***ing do it."
After winning the Actor Award for his performance in Ozark in 2019, he thanked his wife and two daughters for their unwavering support.
"I would like to say specifically though to my wife, my two daughters - Amanda, Franny and Maple - without you, none of it would be enjoyable and it probably wouldn’t be possible," he said during the sweet acceptance speech.
"I love you more than I even tell you I do, and I’ll be home for kisses so don’t go to bed."