Jason Bateman of ‘Ozark’ likes his low-key version of fame

Jason Bateman has been up, down and all around. He has heard rumors about his impending superstardom and then found moments where he had to spell out his last name.

His rule? Don’t believe the hype. “I do like to believe the guy who walks up to me in the streets and says, ‘Man, I just love your work,’ ” says the 51-year-old star of “Ozark,” which returned to Netflix this weekend.

Season 3 of the Emmy-winning drama (which the actor often directs and now executive produces) finds Marty (Bateman) and Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) operating a casino boat, dealing with his wife’s brother and still laundering money.

It’s been a long, successful run for the New York native, who started his career in 1981 with “Little House on the Prairie.” His resume includes “Teen Wolf Too,” “Arrested Development” and HBO’s current “The Outsider,” based on a Stephen King novel.

Review-Journal: What’s an ideal Sunday?

Jason Bateman: It’s definitely at home with my wife and our kids. We have a lot of fun together. I might go for a run, make some breakfast and just spend the day outside.

What attracted you to “Ozark”?

I wasn’t looking for something that was unsettling, but I am super attracted to those things as a viewer. My agent called me with this script for “Ozark” and said it was one of the best scripts he had ever read. I was looking for another film to direct at the time, but I couldn’t put the script down. My character Marty Byrde is smart and crafty. He’s that guy trying to hold it all together. That’s someone I like to play, the calm in the chaos.

What can you say about the new season?

It’s smart people who are pushed to the edge. It’s not good vs. evil or bad guys vs. good guys.

You were born in New York with your sister, Justine Bateman. How did the acting bug bite both of you?

Our father was an actor, writer, director and producer. Dad would take us to movie theaters and we’d discuss good acting vs. bad acting and good directing vs. bad directing and why both happened. I was 10 when I started acting and I loved it. I would sit on sets just absorbing everything it takes to create this story.

What are your memories of playing an orphan boy on “Little House on the Prairie”?

I was 10 on “Little House.” Michael Landon directed a lot of those episodes and he was acting in scenes with me, as well. I remember he built a really warm, playful environment for me and all the kids on that show. I loved going to work.

What is a good comedy project for you?

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate intelligent comedy that hits a nerve. You can’t really ask for more than a piece that makes someone smile and think for a second. I also like my moments of heart in a subtle way.

What did you take from your years on “Arrested Development?”

Jeffrey Tambor taught me something that I will never forget. He said, “You have your own thing that you do. And no one else does it better than you.” That was a huge moment for me. And also, it wasn’t until “Arrested Development” that I got a job asking me to do the thing I like doing the best. It had a real dry sense of humor, which is what I love.

How do you deal with fame?

I can walk down a street and people say hello or ask a question, but I’m not followed by photographers. TMZ doesn’t care that I’m at the store buying salad fixings. It’s just not that interesting.

How do you manage family life with your wife, Amanda Anka (daughter of Paul), and your two girls?

My wife keeps me really grounded by doing nothing other than just being her. She’s got a full-time career herself, and she’s able to be an incredible mom, and she’s almost a full-time dad, too, because I’m out of town so much. I’m floored by that.