Boy, I’m so confused.
Jason Bateman criticized Charli XCX for not wanting children in an awkward interview moment, insisting the married singer would “find someone” to change his mind.
The topic was brought up on Monday’s episode of the podcast “Smartless,” in which the Grammy winner said he “missed out on a lot of the struggles” as an only child.
Bateman, who co-hosts the show with Will Arnett and Sean Hayes, asked, “Does that mean you want to have more than one child, or do you want a child who has similar experiences to you?”
“Actually, I don’t really want to have kids,” Charli, 33, said.
When asked, “Why?” she clarified: “Who knows? That might change.”
However, the songwriter agreed with Hayes, 55, saying, “It’s better to regret not having a child than having a child and later regretting it.”
Charlie explained that while she “loves the fantasy of having children,” naming them “seems like the most ‘fun’ aspect of raising a child.”
“That’s exactly the sign of why I shouldn’t have it,” she quipped. “The fact that I feel like that’s the coolest part about it? Maybe I’m just not ready for it yet.”
Bateman spoke about his wife Amanda Anka’s change in thinking, insisting that “everything can change”.
“[She]didn’t want to have kids, so that’s how we talked about it,” the “Ozark” alum recalled. “And then once we started dating, she said, ‘Okay, I think I could have kids with this person.'” Then maybe you’ll find someone. ”
When Charlie quickly points out, “Well, I’m married,” Bateman jokes, “I’m going to have to read the newspaper sometime.”
“That’s fine,” said Charlie, who married husband George Daniel in July 2025. “I was looking forward to it because I knew right away where you were going and how you would react.”
Ms Bateman insisted that Charlie “shouldn’t end it” and speculated that “maybe your next husband will want to have children with him”.
The episode then cut to a commercial break, but viewers took to YouTube comments to condemn the unpleasant exchange.
“This girl sings the whole song about how she feels about having kids. In fact, if you include the remix version, there are two,” one person wrote, referring to “I Think About It All the Time.”
“I’m so scared I’m missing out,” the lyrics of a 2024 song from the Brat album read.
Another fan wrote, “She should have done ‘Good Hang’ with[Arnett’s ex-wife]Amy Poehler instead of this pod lol.”
However, many defended the “Smartless” hosts, pointing out that it was the show’s conceit to know nothing about its guests.
“One of them is bringing a surprise guest,” a social media user pointed out. “So this is going to be a disaster for the other two 55-year-olds who have no idea who Charli XCX is.”
Representatives for Bateman, Arnett, Hayes and Charli XCX did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.
In May 2024, Charlie told Rolling Stone UK that he didn’t want to start a family because he “feels like a child” himself.
The performer had been dating Daniel, who was 35 years old at the time, for two years.
Charlie and the 1975 drummer got engaged in November 2023 and tied the knot in London last summer and again in Italy.
