Detailed Biography

Justine Tanya Bateman is an American actress. Her television career includes a regular role on the sitcom Family Ties from 1982 until 1989.

Early life

Bateman was born in Rye, New York, USA, to Victoria, a flight attendant of Maltese heritage, and Kent Bateman, an acting coach, film and television writer/director, and founder of a repertory stage in Hollywood. Her younger brother is actor Jason Bateman. She attended Taft High School in Woodland Hills, California, and graduated in 1984.

Career

She played the role of superficial Mallory Keaton on the television sitcom Family Ties from 1982 to 1989. Mallory was presented as a vacuous airhead, which was fodder for jokes and teasing from her brother Alex . In 1984, Bateman starred on the Tales from the Darkside television series in the episode "Mookie and Pookie." Bateman hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live during its 13th season in 1988. That year, she starred in the lead role of Satisfaction, a film about an all-girl band that also starred Julia Roberts and Liam Neeson. Bateman starred as the lead vocalist and also performed the vocals on the soundtrack. She also guest-starred in four episodes of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman as a Kryptonian named Zara/Sarah, who was married at birth with Superman.

Bateman made a brief comeback in the 1996-97 NBC sitcom version of the British TV comedy Men Behaving Badly with Rob Schneider and Ron Eldard, but left after a contract dispute. She has appeared in several made-for-TV movies.

In the third season Arrested Development episode, titled Family Ties, her character is initially believed to be Michael Bluth's sister, but she turns out to be a prostitute taken advantage of by his father and pimped by his brother. Michael Bluth was played by her brother, Jason Bateman.

In 2006, she guest starred in the tenth episode of Men in Trees as Lynn Barstow; this turned into a recurring role for the following eight episodes. She also starred as Terry in Still Standing. Additionally, in 2006 she starred in a made-for-television movie "To Have and to Hold" with Sebastian Spence. In 2008, she portrayed a drug dealer who rents a room from Carlos and Gabrielle Solis, in a guest role on Desperate Housewives. That same year, Bateman appeared on an episode of Showtime's Californication. In 2009 she took on the role of Lassiter's ex-wife in USA's Psych.

The actress has made her first script sale of any kind to Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place.

Personal life

In the summer of 1986, she taught acting classes and directed a small play at Otis Parson's in downtown Los Angeles. During this time she also commissioned an artist, Galo "MAKE" Canote, who was working across the street on the MacArthur Park Bandshell. She dated Galo shortly after. The relationship was short-lived.

Bateman has been married to Mark Fluent since 2001, and has two children, Duke and Olivia Fluent . Bateman has converted to and is raising her children as Christians.  In 2000, she founded her own fashion design company and serves on the National Board of Directors of the Screen Actors Guild. However, in July, 2009, she resigned from the SAG board prior to the end of her initial 3-year term.