Jason Bateman usually keeps his family life far away from the Hollywood spotlight, but he made a major exception this weekend—and fans are doing a double-take!
The Ozark star, , surprised onlookers at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday when he arrived with his wife of years, Amanda Anka, and their two rarely-seen daughters, Francesca, , and Maple, .
The family was out in full force to support the world premiere of Jason’s gritty new series, Black Rabbit. Looking every bit the proud father, Jason beamed as he posed for photographers with his girls by his side.
This marks the first time the entire Bateman clan has hit a red carpet together in over eight years. The last time fans caught a glimpse of the sisters was back in when they gathered to celebrate Jason receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The “glow up” was real for the Bateman sisters. Francesca stunned in a chic, sheer black minidress paired with matching heels, while -year-old Maple looked sophisticated and tall in a brown slip dress.
Jason kept things dapper but low-key in a dark green button-up layered over a black tee, while Amanda embodied “casual cool” in a black button-up vest and trousers.
While the internet was busy obsessing over the rare family sighting, Jason has been vocal in the past about his “fiercely protective” nature. Despite being one of the busiest men in show business, he previously told The Daily Telegraph that the transition to fatherhood felt completely natural.
“I think I’m a good one,” he quipped when asked about his dad skills. “We certainly have a lot of fun together. I didn’t take it on earlier than I should have, and because of that, it’s been very comfortable and enjoyable.”
However, don’t expect to see Francesca or Maple on screen anytime soon if Jason has his way. The actor has made it clear he’d prefer his daughters to steer clear of the family business.
“I’ll encourage them to do anything but this,” he admitted, citing the “luck” and “intangibles” of the industry. “I think any parent wants their child to go into a profession where, if they work hard and are the best at what they do, they’re pretty much guaranteed employment.”
Even if they don’t follow him into acting, the girls certainly have an A-list support system. Jason’s longtime BFF Jennifer Aniston is basically an honorary member of the household.
“She almost makes us parents look bad because she’s so incredibly attentive,” Jason told Vanity Fair of the Friends alum. “She’s almost closer to a co-mom with Amanda. She’s been a part of their lives from the moment they were born.”
According to Jason, “Auntie Jen” is the first one to text about big milestones or grill the girls about their dating lives.
With a support system like that—and a proud dad like Jason—it’s clear that whether they’re on a red carpet or staying behind the scenes, the Bateman girls are in good hands.
