Jason Bateman’s Sobriety: Wife Amanda Anka’s Tension Push

Jason Bateman talked about how he gave up drinking and using drugs in 2001 because his partying was causing “tension” in his marriage to Amanda Anka. The 57-year-old actor said that Anka called his habits “annoyingly unpredictable” and “drip, drip, drip,” which led to important talks about turning off the “spigot.”

Bateman said he first thought sobriety was months away, but he chose to “land the plane now” to ease the strain on his marriage and said, “let’s f–king do it.” He says that Anka had an effect on him without her asking for a full stop, and he says that the change happened around the time of their wedding. The couple has been married since 2001 and has two daughters, Francesca (19) and Maple (14).

Bateman was a child star on shows like Arrested Development. He partied hard in his 20s but didn’t hit rock bottom like some of his friends did. He also quit smoking during that important 12 to 24 month period, which led to his later fame in Ozark. Bateman still likes marijuana, but he stopped using “Scarface stuff” like cocaine.

Anka met Bateman for the first time in 1988, but they didn’t start dating until 1998 because he lived a chaotic life. Bateman is now looking for a long career in Hollywood through respect, not fame, with the upcoming HBO Max series DTF St. Louis. His story shows how relationships can help celebrities stay sober.