Bateman attended Taft High School in Woodland Hills, California. However, Bateman could not attend college at the time due to her contractual obligations with Family Ties. Bateman stated that she was informed by the series' line producer Carol Himes, "You're under contract to Paramount Studios."[5] She later attended UCLA, entering as a freshman at aged 46. In 2016, she graduated at age 50 with a degree in computer science and digital media management.[6]
Bateman's most prominent acting role began when she was a teenager, playing the role of superficial Mallory Keaton on the television sitcomFamily Ties in 1982; she continued the role throughout the show's run which ended in 1989. She hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live during its 13th season in 1988.
Terry Genz and Justine Bateman at the APLA benefit in 1990
In the third-season Arrested Development episode "Family Ties," which was broadcast in February 2006,[8] her character is initially believed to be Michael Bluth's sister, but she turns out to be a prostitute taken advantage of by his father, and pimped by his brother. Michael Bluth was played by Bateman's brother Jason.[9]
In 1988, Bateman starred in the lead role in the motion picture Satisfaction. The film, about an all-girl musical band, also featured Julia Roberts, Liam Neeson, and Britta Phillips. Bateman starred as the lead vocalist and also performed the vocals on the soundtrack. Other films include The Night We Never Met, with Matthew Broderick, and The TV Set, with David Duchovny and Sigourney Weaver.
Bateman has acted in several web series. She acted in John August's Remnants, Illeana Douglas' IKEA-sponsored Easy to Assemble[10][11] (for which in 2010 Bateman was among the winners of the Streamy Award for Best Ensemble Cast and was nominated for a Streamy Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Web-Series),[12] and Anthony Zuiker's digi-novel series Level 26: Dark Prophecy, in which she plays a tarot card reader.[13]
Bateman wrote her feature film directorial debut, Violet, premiered at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival.[17] Bateman also wrote her short film directorial debut, Five Minutes. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2017.[18] She made her first script sale to Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place.[19] She also co-wrote the adaptation of Lisi Harrison's teenage book series The Clique for a Warner Bros. internet series.[20] Bateman's first book, Fame: The Hijacking of Reality, was published in 2018 by Akashic Books.[21] Her second book, Face: One Square Foot of Skin, was also published by Akashic Books in 2021.[22]
Bateman co-produced and co-presented with fashion maven Kelly Cutrone on their internet talk show Wake Up and Get Real (WUAGR).[23] Described as an alternative to the television series The View, WUAGR was last broadcast in June 2011.[24] She was also a producer on the internet series Easy to Assemble (which garnered more than 5.1 million views during its second season.[7]),
Bateman produced the film short, Z, Five Minutes (Toronto Film Festival 2017 premiere), and Push, and the feature film, Violet (SXSW 2021 Film Festival Premiere). She also produced the upcoming avant-garde feature films, LOOK and FEEL.[25]
Her feature film directorial debut, Violet, starring Olivia Munn, Justin Theroux, and Luke Bracey, premiered at the SXSW 2021 film festival. Her short film directorial debut, Five Minutes, was an official selection at various film festivals, including the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. It was a winner in Amazon Prime's Festival Stars competition, and one of Vimeo's Short of the Week.[26]
Her subsequent feature films, LOOK and FEEL, will premiere at the CREDO23 Film Festival in March 2025.
Other work
During a hiatus from the entertainment business, Bateman established a clothing design company in 2000. She managed it until its closure in 2003. Justine Bateman Designs was known for one-of-a-kind hand knits. It sold to BendelsNY, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Fred Segal.[27]
She served on the national board of directors of the Screen Actors Guild until July 2009, when she resigned just before the end of her initial three-year term.[28][29]
Bateman is the founder of CREDO23, an "organics stamp" for films and series that assure the audience that no generative AI was used.[30] Justine is also the founder and festival director of the CREDO23 Film Festival.[31]
Bateman earned a degree in computer science and digital media management from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2016.[34] During the film industry strikes in 2023, Bateman was a vocal critic of the use of AI for human characters in productions,[35] and has proposed a label designating that AI was not used for the actors.[36]
Bateman is a licensed pilot of single-engine planes and a certified scuba diver.[37]
Bateman has been an advocate for natural aging and has not had any cosmetic surgery.[38]
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