That straight man character is a short trip between comedy and drama in a project, so I can play the comedic beat on the same page as a dramatic beat. It gives me a lot of freedom as an actor to play scenes in multiple ways because I don't play the clown, nor do I play someone who is particularly maudlin.

Jason Bateman

Jason Bateman

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People say: 'Why do you want to play the straight man?' Well, it's because he gets to be in every scene.

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A straight factor is important in any comedy, because you need something to tee it up and also to ground it.

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I wanted to be Dustin Hoffman or Robert De Niro or Al Pacino. I thought I was going to be a dramatic actor, but comedy sort of started out first, and I was like, 'Maybe I'll find some more drama later on in my career.'

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My definitions of comedy, drama, and straight man are all blurry for me. I don't think of it in those terms.

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