Jason Bateman In ‘Golden Handcuffs’ Amid $100 Million Podcast Deal: ‘Much Rather Be Directing’

Sometimes success can be a trap. Take Jason Bateman. During the pandemic, the 55-year-old teamed up with buddies Sean Hayes and Will Arnett for the comedy podcast "SmartLess." By January 2024, it was the fourth-most popular podcast on Apple and the three had signed a three-year deal with SiriusXM worth $100 million-plus. (That’s after initially pulling in $80 mil from Amazon.) Now an insider exclusively tells In Touch that the actor/director feels stuck on the podcast gravy train — and his wife, Amanda Anka, won’t let him get off! “He’d much rather be directing and producing his own big-budget film and TV projects,” an insider says of the Ozark star. “But the money has been life-changing for him and Amanda. It’s a classic case of ‘golden handcuffs.’”

It’s not just the money. Doing the podcast has allowed Jason to spend more time with his wife and daughters, Frannie, 17, and 12-year-old Maple. “It means he’s home for dinner,” says the insider. “Amanda reminds him of this. There will be time for filmmaking down the road.”