It is no secret that Jason Bateman is a master at comedic reactions. The guy has this uncanny ability to pause just long enough or give the perfect side-eye to make a joke land. But there are moments when his on-screen eccentricities go from quirky to downright out-of-this-world, leaving fans to wonder how he even pulls that off. One of those moments happened in his 2021 Netflix film Thunder Force.

In a scene with Melissa McCarthy in the movie, Bateman completely stole the show with his performance in a gross, creepy moment— yet somehow charmed the audience instead of making them cringe.

Intimate scenes on screen can be a tricky business. Some actors are okay with them, while others prefer to keep things more private. But not Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy. They threw themselves into one particularly wild moment in Thunder Force, and according to director Ben Falcone, Bateman’s “effortlessly gross” style made it work. “He can get away with anything,” Falcone told the Entertainment Weekly.

What was even more impressive that the scene was not even tightly scripted. It was more of a "foundation," with enough room for the actors to improvise and play around. And Falcone praised Bateman for delivering outlandish lines with such ease that, if anyone else had said them, it would have made them seem like a psycho. But Bateman made it look effortless. And he is not the first to notice this particular talent.

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Years ago, one of Bateman’s former co-stars shared how the Ozark star can get away with saying terrible things but still be incredibly likable.

Jason Bateman’s rise to fame started with Arrested Development, where his deadpan humor quickly became his signature. And his co-star Michael Cera once revealed some juicy details about Bateman’s comedic acting skills. In an interview with The Guardian, Cera casually said that the things that come out of Bateman's mouth are absolute “filth”.  But with his pleasing facial symmetry and nonchalant tone, Bateman somehow makes it all work. And it gets better.

Cera also shared a little “dirty secret” about Bateman in the same interview. Even in his huge hit Ozark, where Bateman’s character goes from being a simple financial advisor to taking over a Mexican cartel, he still keeps that same deadpan delivery. He never loses that subtle wit no matter how crazy things get, which is what made his absurd intimate scene with Melissa McCarthy in Thunder Force stand out. 

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What do you think about this throwback Ben Falcone interview? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!