Jason Bateman Recalls Drunken Monaco Arrest While He was Wearing a Leopard Outfit

Jason Bateman opened up about a night he would rather forget, revealing that he was once arrested in Monaco for being “drunk and disorderly” while dressed in a “nice little leopard outfit,” as reported by Page Six.

The actor, known for roles in “Ozark” and “Arrested Development,” shared the story on his “SmartLess” podcast, which he co-hosts with Sean Hayes and Will Arnett.

He recalled the incident with characteristic humor, saying he had just left the casinos “all banged up on cheap champagne and a pocket full of chips.”

Bateman, 57, did not specify when the arrest occurred.

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The revelation is particularly striking because Bateman has been sober since 2001, the same year he married actress Amanda Anka.

In February, the Emmy-winning actor told the Hollywood Reporter that his decision to quit drinking came after realizing that alcohol was creating “tension” in his relationship with Anka.

“[She] didn’t demand that I completely absolve, but that was sort of the back-and-forth,” Bateman said at the time.

He explained that he decided to get sober sooner than he initially planned, admitting, “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–king do it.’”

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During the Hollywood Reporter interview, Bateman clarified that while he stopped drinking alcohol and using cocaine, he does still smoke marijuana.

He reflected on the moment he chose to change his lifestyle, saying he recognized he was lucky to reach that realization early.

“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 “Horrible Bosses” star also shared that he was deliberate about timing his sobriety so that he could start the next phase of his life fully focused.

“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,” Bateman said.

That period of change ultimately prepared him for family life. Bateman and Anka, both 57, share two daughters: Francesca, 19, and Maple, 14.

Bateman’s recollection of his chaotic Monaco night, juxtaposed with the self-awareness and discipline that came later, painted a picture of a performer who learned from his missteps without losing his sharp comedic touch.

His lighthearted retelling of a humiliating episode underscored not only how far he has come since those days but also how willing he is to find humor in his own past.

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