Jason Bateman on Saying Goodbye to ‘Ozark’, Fate of the Byrdes and His Directing Future
variety.comJason Bateman) and Wendy (Laura Linney), as well as their two children, were miraculously still standing. That, in and of itself, would be a remarkable achievement given “Ozark’s” high body count.
But as the show fades to black, the Byrdes are in surprisingly good shape. They’ve outrun the law, built up a base of political support and outmaneuvered their enemies.
Bateman, who played a key role both in front of and behind the camera as both the show’s star, executive producer and the director of nine of its episodes, hesitates to declare that the Byrdes are winners.
Rather, he claims that the show gives them a happy ending — one that comes with a caveat.“There’s a scarlet letter or a black eye attached to it,” he says. “In true ‘Ozark’ fashion.” In a wide-ranging interview, Bateman didn’t just weigh in on the fate of the Byrdes, he also talked about his passion for directing, his willingness to return to the world of “Ozark” and the guest he’s hoping to land for “Smartless,” the podcast he co-hosts with his friends Will Arnett and Sean Hayes.How does it feel to say goodbye to “Ozark”?It felt really good to finish something that we all worked so hard to try to do in a somewhat specific and precise way.
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