Jason Bateman, known for his roles in series like Arrested Development and Ozark, has been a long-standing figure in Hollywood. The actor and director had been gracing the big and small screens for the last four decades. And his long run on the screen could not be completed without the support of his wife, Amanda Anka, with whom he tied the knot in 2001. But Amanda Anka is not just known for being the wife of Jason Bateman, she is a powerhouse in her own right, with strong roots in the entertainment industry. 

From production roles to acting cameos and personal support behind award-winning performances, Anka’s impact deserves the spotlight. Here are 5 shows and movies that have a special connection to Amanda Anka, and why you should watch them now.

Amanda Anka's latest work in the industry came with the gripping newsroom drama, The Morning Show, starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell, for which Anka served as a co-producer. The show explores the fallout of a s—-- misconduct controversy in a top-rated morning program and how the women at its center fight to rebuild their voices. 

Taking its inspiration from the Me Too movement, the high-profile series has garnered numerous accolades, including 27 Primetime Emmy Awards, 10 Screen Actors Guild Awards, and 9 Golden Globe Award nominations. Amanda's work behind the scenes helped shape one of the most talked-about series of the decade. It can be streamed on Apple TV.

Amanda Anka may have left the world of acting, but she continues to carry her talent along with herself and also contributes them to her husband’s podcast venture, SmartLess: On the Road. This hilarious behind-the-scenes documentary follows Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes on tour for their hit podcast SmartLess. Anka had made personal appearances in the docuseries, which offered the fans a rare and intimate look at their real-life marriage dynamic. 

Anka's involvement added warmth, humor, and authenticity to the show’s unscripted moments. Consisting of five episodes, SmartLess: On the Road is among the top-rated series on IMDb with an 8/10 rating. As the trio of hosts travelled from city to city, the series also saw some top-list special guests like Will Ferrell, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman’s Hit and Run co-star Bradley Cooper, Bateman’s former co-star and close friend Jennifer Aniston, fellow comedian Kevin Hart, and many more. It is available to watch on HBO Max.

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In addition to Anka, her father and Jason Bateman’s father-in-law, the famous Canadian singer Paul Anka, also joined Bateman for the podcast version interviews in one episode in 2023.

This superhit and extremely popular supernatural series from the 90s is the establishing pillar of vampire drama on television, and Amanda Anka can proudly display her appearance in its movie version among her acting credits. Back in her acting days, Anka guest-starred in the cult classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie as a vampire girl. Though it was a brief role, it placed her on the radar of '90s fans. This small but fun part in the movie, which was followed by the classic series, gives us a nostalgic peek into Amanda’s early acting career.

Following this, Amanda Anka made small guest appearances in Renegade, ER, The Fosters, Bones, Beverly Hills, 90210, and, as per her IMDb, also did two years of voiceover work for The Greatest Event in Television History. She has bagged many a great cameo and profile of a voice artist in her early days of marriage. Though her beloved vampire classic, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, can be revisited again on Amazon Prime, this time for the love of Amanda Anka.

A 2000 slasher movie by Geoffrey Wright, this movie stars Brittany Murphy and revolves around a series of m—--- in a small Virginia town. A cult horror-thriller that flips teen slasher tropes on their head, the movie featured Amanda Anka as Deputy Mina. Amanda’s grounded performance adds realism to a surreal plot, and her role still draws fans of retro horror today.

This eerie small-town mystery about a k—--- spree is both campy and chilling. But unfortunately, the movie was not able to get a theatrical release as it was rejected multiple times by the MPAA. But this Amanda Anka flick saw daylight when USA Films purchased it and telecasted it on their domestic channel, USA Network, in the spooky ambience of horror, ten days before Halloween on October 20, 2000. It can be streamed for free on Tubi.

Jason Bateman's biggest success in the digital world of streaming came in the form of Ozark. This drama series starring Bateman and Laura Linney, who play a couple, revolves around money scamand d--- cartel became of of the biggest hits on Netflix since 2017. But Amanda Anka is also a driving force behind it. Although she does not appear in Ozark, she played a pivotal role in its success by supporting Bateman as a creative advisor.

Bateman often credited Amanda during awards speeches, including his Emmy win, for helping him balance the emotional toll of portraying Marty Byrde. Her invisible hand was crucial in shaping one of Netflix’s most successful crime dramas.

Amanda Anka might not always be in front of the camera, but her creative influence is everywhere, from top-tier productions to raw personal moments shared on screen. These five picks represent her presence in Hollywood, and each is worth a spot on your binge list.

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Which of these Amanda Anka acting or other work credits have you seen or will be watching? Tell us in the comments below.