Jason Bateman is proving that even seasoned actors can’t script their way out of an awkward parenting moment.
Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live to promote his new HBO series DTF St. Louis, the 57-year-old actor shared a humorous story about having “the talk” with his 14-year-old daughter, Maple. Bateman admitted he recently checked in to see whether she had any lingering questions about sex education—only to find himself in increasingly uncomfortable territory.
According to Bateman, his daughter may have sensed his unease and let him keep talking rather than stopping him. As he worked his way through a step-by-step explanation, he struggled to navigate certain biological terms. Trying to keep things light and age-appropriate, he opted for creative wording instead of clinical language.
Bateman joked that he described the moment of climax as the male anatomy “yelling ‘I love you!’” to explain reproduction, a line that drew laughter from Kimmel and the audience. The actor acknowledged that while the explanation may not have been textbook-perfect, it got the job done—albeit in a slightly cringeworthy fashion.
Bateman is currently promoting DTF St. Louis, a dark-comedy miniseries set to premiere on HBO on March 1. The series features a cast that includes David Harbour, Linda Cardellini, Joy Sunday, and Richard Jenkins.
