Arrested Development creator was 'nervous' to cast Jason Bateman after actor's failed pilots, directors say

Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz worried it might be "bad luck" to cast Jason Bateman in the beloved show, say directors Joe and Anthony Russo.

"We literally had to bring him into the studio four times to get him cast because he had been in a bunch of failed pilots," Joe Russo said in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "So he was viewed as baggage at that time."

He continued, "Mitch was very nervous. He was like, 'This could be bad luck if we cast him.'"

Bateman, who began his career as a child actor on hit shows such as Little House on the Prairie and Silver Spoons, experienced a bit of a career stall after appearing in a number of pilots that were not picked up. However, his performance on Arrested Development, considered one of his best roles, earned him several Emmy nominations.