Jason Bateman asked Charli XCX some strange questions about kids. Once social media heard the exchange, they rushed to ask why the fan-favorite actor was acting so strange.
During a recent episode of the SmartLess podcast, Bateman found himself in a moment of confusion when Charli guest-starred. The Grammy winner appeared as a part of the promo push for The Moment from A24. (We’re as excited as you all are for that!) Anyway, the topic of kids got broached by the hosts and Bateman stepped into those waters. It didn’t go great! Check out what he had to say down below!
Bateman asked, “Would you love to have more than one kid or would you like to have a kid that has the same experience as you, the only child, and then you get to nurture and protect?”
A pretty loaded question, to be honest. But, one that the host didn’t recognize as such when he first asked it. After all, Bateman is married with two children. His wife, Amanda Anka actually didn’t want kids when they got together and so, he thought to offer some “advice.”
But, he might have been better off just cutting his losses right there and dropping it. You have to give it up for Charli XCX here as she handled the line of questioning about as well as you could possibly expect. The topic of having children and the push to start a family is an instant red flag online for some people scrolling online.
Things get awkward with Charli XCX
Charli XCX responded to all this stuff with, “I actually don’t really want to have kids.” Sean Hayes would wonder aloud before realizing he put his foot in his mouth. The host said, “You don’t? Wait, why? I know that’s none of my business…” So, yeah things continued down an awkward path. Hayes would try to diffuse that tension with the revelation that he also didn’t want kids. “I want to want to have kids,” he mused. “I’ve said it a million times, but I’d rather regret not having kids then have them and regret it later. You never know what you’re going to get.”
People out there would be wise to think long and hard about that sentiment. But, maybe not in the context of lobbing it at a woman that you barely know? For what it’s worth, Charli was able to handle all of this better than most would. The star explained, “That could change. I love the fantasy of having a child like naming it — it sounds so fun — but I’m like, that is exactly assigned to me as to why I should not have one, the fact that [naming it] feels like the coolest part about it.”
Things get worse?
Bateman interjected and that’s when the awkwardness leveled up. He talked about his current marriage. “I mean I guess I’m backing into giving myself a half-assed compliment here, but my wife did not want to have kids, so the story goes,” Bateman recalled. “She said once we started going out she thought, ‘OK, I think I can have a kid with this guy.’ So you might find somebody.”
I felt the kind of crushing anxiety I only felt in school when Charli replied, “Well, I am married.” Always the kidder, Bateman joked, “I got to read a newspaper one of these days.” Then he would quip, “Your next husband, you’re gonna want kids.” As you would expect, social media hasn’t been digesting that well. And, it just goes to show, maybe we don’t try to be so prescriptive when it comes to women? Sometimes the moment just doesn’t hit right.
(featured image: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images)
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