Artists of Hollywood are masters of action by default, but comedic parlance is nothing less than God’s gift for some. Countless actors show their range in acting by slipping into the most obvious and unobvious roles, prompting an unsaid nomination on every director’s wishlist. However, only a select few can spark a side-splitting row in the audience with their box office arrival. While several A-listers have lamented the slimming age of no-holds-barred comedy in recent times, Jason Bateman and Peter Berg recently engaged in a candid conversation to talk about the difficulties of the genre as a whole.

Though comedy elates an audience unlike any other genre, Bateman and Berg’s confessions paint a behind-the-scenes picture of its challenges.

On a recent episode of the Smartless podcast, Jason Bateman and co-hosts, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett, engaged in an enlightening conversation with director and producer Peter Berg. The Carry-On actor revealed he loves Berg’s style as the latter admitted the hardships of a “funny film” because of the lack of flow on set. As a result, Berg is convinced that comedy is “really f---ing tough to do,” adding “there’s nothing less fun” than trying to make one. 

Berg dished out a dose of reality, revealing that comedies are the ultimate underdogs facing an uphill battle in a system stacked against them. It is no wonder then that the most sidesplitting films emerge from left field, born from humble beginnings and modest budgets, rather than being backed by big bucks or industry heavyweights. Berg believes that genuine comedic gold is often courtesy of young, fearless filmmakers who capture the unbridled immediacy comedy demands.

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Peter Berg even gave a shining example of a recent film that actually got him floored with laughter.

During his candid conversation on the Smartless podcast with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, Peter Berg lamented the lack of comedic priority and immediacy in big-format movies as he cheered for the young enthusiasts who tapped on the gold righteously. Although Berg and Bateman are not the only ones lamenting the stagnancy of no-holds-barred comedies, the American Primeval director revealed Anora was a recent film that got him laughing after a really long time.

Anora is a 2024 comedy-drama by Sean Baker that follows the troubled union of Anora, an adult worker, and Vanya Zakhrov, the son of a Russian oligarch. As they went on to converse more about the film, they all had a good laugh recounting the courtroom scene of objection. Although their conversation may have begun on all things associated with cinema, it ended with an arsenal of reality checks that are anything but funny.

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What do you think of Peter Berg and Jason Bateman's admissions of comedic struggles? Let us know in the comments below!