Jason Bateman - Actor's struggle with alcohol and drugs was like 'Risky Business'
07/09/09
He’s best known for his humorous television and movie roles, but life wasn’t always so funny for Jason Bateman.
The former child star, now 40, opens up about his drug and alcohol-filled past in the August issue of Details magazine.
Bateman talks about how substance abuse almost ruined his marriage.
Bateman, who rose to fame on television shows "Silver Spoons" and "The Hogan Family," spent much of the ’90s partying.
"It was like ‘Risky Business’ for 10 years," Bateman said. "My parents were out of town, they left me a bunch of money, the car, and the house, and I didn't know when they were coming home. I'd worked so hard that by the time I was 20, I wanted to play hard. And I did that really well."
The Arrested Development star continued his hard-partying lifestyle even after marrying childhood sweetheart Amanda Anka in 2001.
But after he came home late one night, Anka finally gave the actor an ultimatum.
While his wife took a planned vacation to Mexico without him, Bateman took the first step to recovery with an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
"Booze was what would make me want to stay out all night and do some blow or smoke a joint or whatever, so shutting that off was key," Bateman said. "It's like ketchup and French fries, I don't want one without the other.
He asked himself, "Do you want to continue to be great at being in your 20s, or do you want to step up and graduate into adulthood?"
Thanks to his wife’s urging, Bateman’s journey into adulthood has proven to be worth while.
The actor has a slew of upcoming releases, including "The Invention of Lying" with Jonah Hill and Jennifer Garner, "Up in the Air" with George Clooney, and "Couples Retreat" with Vince Vaughn.
Bateman has not only rededicated himself to his career, but he also became a father.
He and his wife welcomed daughter Francesca in October 2006.
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