Jason and Francesca Bateman in Vanity Fair
When Jason Bateman, 38, was to be photographed with a prop for the November issue of Vanity Fair, he brought along his own — daughter Francesca Nora, 1.
We heard that what you guys wanted was a shot of me with a prop — that’s the way it was described, so I figured…
The actor also discussed how becoming a father has changed him — or his sleeping patterns, at least.
Well, I am going to bed now at 10 p.m. instead of getting my nights started at 10 p.m. And I am up at 6:30 a.m. instead of going to bed at 6:30 a.m.
Source: Vanity Fair Photo by Michael Muller.
Thanks to CBB reader Catherine.
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November 4th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
I am disturbed by the fact that he referred to his daughter as a “prop” and that he is holding her by the ankle in the photo. Seriously, why would you hold a 1 year old that way? She looks pretty freaked out!
November 4th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
I have to say it. That picture is freakin’ adorable!
November 4th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Cute! It’s not like he was holding her like that for hours. I say cute, cute, cute!!!
November 4th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Most adorable prop I’ve ever seen!!!!
November 4th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
oh – they probably play like that all of the time… i am sure he was joking about her being a prop.
November 4th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Looks like he is a very funny and joyfull dad!!! Adorable pic… they must have alot a fun together.
November 4th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
I think the picture is ADORABLE!!! Everything happened so quickly….she probably didn’t even notice she was upside down. From what I have read, Jason is an awesome father…and loves his daughter! This picture probably shows how they play together! As for the “prop” comment??? Totally joking….totally cute. WAY too much going on in the world to be upset about the comment or the cute picture!
Just my opinion…..
November 4th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
For goodness sakes “Charsmom”…my husband and I rough house with our little girl all the time…which includes holding her upside down, carrying her on our backs backwards and throwing her on the bed. It’s playful fun, I’m sure his little girl is LOVING it. As for the term “prop”…haven’t you ever used a word that no one else would understand when referencing your child? Come on…this is a sweet picture. At least he wanted to include her in his fame / photo shoot rather than some child he has no care for at all. I say this is one cute picture!
November 4th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
i immediately thought everyone would be critical about holding a baby that way. i mean, it’s ok to “play” with a child by holding it upside down by one leg, but when michael jackson “dangled” his baby over a balcony the world practically came to an end.
November 4th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
TOOOOO CUTE!!! Baby girl can one day tell her friends that she did a nude photo cover for Vanity Fair – How cool is that? Daddy Jason is also TOOOOO CUTE!!!
November 4th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Do people complain about every little thing? People need to relax. We have all seen pictures and quotes that he has said and it’s obvious he adore his little girl. I think the picture is cute.
November 4th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
Anyone who has watched Arrested Development (one of the BEST shows!) knows that Jason B. has a very funny sense of humor- I love this pic! She is an adorable little girl.
November 4th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
I feel as if a regular non-celeb had a picture taken of their baby in that position, CFS would come knocking…I’m a big fan of his though.
November 4th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
I find it odd. Not saying the baby was hurt, or he’s a bad person, but I don’t like the photo.
November 4th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
OMG I suppose people would see me as a child abuser if they witnessed the rough play my daughter and I experienced/experience and this photo is NOTHING compared to it. I remember having her upside down at maybe 10mths old, she is now 3 and I have never seen a baby/toddler male or female who is as rough as my daughter. My husband joked at least 7 times in the mth of October that he wanted to allow our daughter to rough house with his friend(s) children because he knew they didn’t come into comparison to our daughter in football, basketball, or regular play.
I have 4 children and she is the youngest, I honestly do not see anything wrong with this picture nor him rough housing safely.
November 4th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Oh please, get over it! It is absolutely adorable, and I really disagree that CPS would be called over a photo like this. My husband plays with our little girl like this all the time. She loves to be hung upside down by her legs and it is a far cry from child abuse. It’s not like he holds her like that for hours on end. People need to stop being so uptight. Little kids love to rough house and parents can feel free to do it with them.
November 4th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
From all of the pictures that we have seen with Jason and that gorgeous baby you can tell that he absolutely adores her! I think it is a darling picture but she may regret seeing it when she is 18! I hope to see more of this baby who is one of the prettiest babies I have ever seen! (Sorry Suri and Shiloh but YOU do have major competition here!)
November 5th, 2007 at 12:28 am
It was probably only for a minute, anyway francesca is so cute. Looks like jason and her aunt justine.
November 5th, 2007 at 1:48 am
There’s nothing wrong with playing with your kids etc, the one thing we recommend when doing so is never pick a child up by pulling their hand (you wouldn’t believe how many parents do this) as it dislocates their shoulders, and be careful not to hold by ankle as you can dislocate their ankles.
November 5th, 2007 at 2:51 am
Lola–what?? I’ve never known a child who had a dislocated anything from being picked up by a limb.
And I agree with many of the other posters–I knew people were going to get upset about that photo. Children do not have to be put in bubble wrap. I don’t know one father who doesn’t love rough-housing with his kids–holding them upside down, throwing them in the air or in the pool, wrestling, spinning them around. I’ve also known of children who have had accidents–fallen down stairs, crashed on their bikes–and come out of it without a scratch. Kids are amazingly durable. That’s not to say they should be treated like stuntmen, but come on. If a child isn’t held upside down once in their life, then they’re deprived.
In all truth, my first response to that photo was
Upside down baby + not potty-trained + no diaper=disasterous clean-up.
Angela’s note: It is possible for a child to receive a dislocation or nursemaid’s elbow from being picked up by a limb. To read more, click here.
November 5th, 2007 at 3:10 am
I don’t like the pic, is just my opinion, but i don’t find it funny.
November 5th, 2007 at 6:44 am
I think that picture is disgusting. It looks abusive and pornographic.
November 5th, 2007 at 7:48 am
i have to say that the photo is kinda disturbing. and i’m all for rough housing with the kids in your life, even at a young age. but it’s something about this photo that i can’t put my finger on..i think it’s a combination of the fact that she’s nake and being held upside down by her ankle with an odd look on her face…i dunno, it was just my gut reaction. i think his referring to her as a “prop” was more of a joke and in kidding..but the pic, itself, is kinda…odd.
November 5th, 2007 at 7:52 am
Oh goodeness, theres nothing wrong with the pic its cute. If he had her dangling upside down for hours on end then id be concerned. I notice alot of double standards for some celebs on this page; some can do no wrong, others can do no right.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:20 am
My kids and I rough house all the time, and they LOVE it. They BEG us to play rough with them. I’m sure he was only holding her like that for a split second. That’s adorable IMO.
November 5th, 2007 at 9:02 am
I remember when my great-niece now 5 would flipped over my arms to hang upside down. I would carry her around like that for ever it seemed and she is a normal 5 year old who still like to hang upside down on monkey bars..
November 5th, 2007 at 9:24 am
what a sweet picture…
November 5th, 2007 at 10:27 am
First of all, there was probably somebody holding the baby in that position, who was airbrushed out of the photo. I doubt she was held by her ankle for 30 minutes while they tried to get that shot. Either way, it’s an adorable photo, and I seriously doubt Jason Bateman would endanger his daughter to get a cute picture. People are really overreacting.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:45 am
In Baby Yoga we hang our babies upside down being careful to hold them by their lower legs…they absolutely love it!! My hubby and I say that our son is part bat because he could hang upside down all day.
Cute picture!
November 5th, 2007 at 11:12 am
I agree with the person who said that someone probably “propped” her that way. Because it’s very rare your going to get the child to get in that pose with her leg hanging just enough to cover her private area!
I think the photo is cute. I pick my nephews up all the time by their feet and even swing them and they scream and yell for me to do it over and over! Kids love this kind of play and I am sure the child is completely unharmed by this experience!!
November 5th, 2007 at 11:30 am
I agree w/the person who talked about someone possibly holding her and being airbrushed out. I wouldn’t be surprised if this photo wasn’t “doctored” some how. either way I think it’s totally cute.
November 5th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Maybe if he was holding her by both the angles or if the baby was smiling, I would be feel differently but I don’t like the picture. JMO.
November 5th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Photoshopped. Extremley photoshopped. It doesn’t take alot of work to airbrush someone out (if they were holding the baby). By the look of it, she wasn’t just dangling there…someone was holding her/she was being held up…
It is amazing what you can do with photoshoop/any program like this these days..
It’s so photoshopped at first glance it looked like she was a doll. She’s so cute! xxx
November 5th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
I read it like this:
Vanity Fair wanted to photograph him with a prop. ….So he brought along his daughter and they ended up using her. Thus being The Prop. Absolutely adorable image, IMO.
November 5th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
I think this pic is adorable!!
It definitely looks photoshopped. I wonder if they even held the kid upside down. It seems like more of her hair would be hanging down if she was upside down. They could have easily positioned her on her back and then photoshopped her in. Or they had someone in the background holding her as well.
No way would Vanity Fair put that kid at risk…can you imagine the uproar if something happened to her? Not to mention the lawsuit.
November 5th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Do we have to get so up in arms about everything??? Do you take away a bottle at exactly 12 months? Has your kid ever fallen & gotten hurt? Do you pick them up and toss them in the air? If the answer to ANY of the above is yes, then you have no reason to make ANY comments about ANY celebrity parents.
The pic is a cute idea… and I’m sure that he held her like that long enough for them to place her leg and for them to snap the pic, then up she went. And the prop thing, it’s Jason Bateman people… he’s a funny guy, it’s only natural that he’d think ‘daughter = cute prop.’
November 5th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Ok, I never took the “prop” part as serious, I thought it was funny. I’m not crazy about the picture though. I don’t think it’s abusive or anything, just an odd shot to me.
But I do agree with Angela’s note… my dad’s exgirlfriend had a little boy that had that happen… when he was two, my dad and her were swinging him by his arms (like almost all kids/parents do), and later, he was acting funny, holding his arm weird. So they took him to the doctor, and here, his elbow was out of socket. It’s called nursemaid’s elbow. Apparently, once it happens to a kid, it’s more likely for it to happen again. And it’s usually younger kids whose bones and joints aren’t quite developed yet. Obviously most of us lived to tell about it happening, I’m not saying EVERY kid who you do that to will end up with an arm out of socket. But it was weird to see.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Cute! This is a funny shot they will both appreciate having later!
By the way, my arm was dislocated when I was a toddler. My mom was holding my hand and I tripped and she tried to pull me up. So it is definitely possible. But I think there has to be a fair amount of force. What Jason is doing here doesn’t look dangerous at all.
November 5th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Where are you senses of humor? What is with all the “goody two shoes” on this board. You people need to get a life.
November 5th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
I’d rather a kid be held by the ankle like this fr a few seconds than picked up by one arm! My nephew’s sister picked him up by the arm and dislocated it at the shoulder- it does happen! It especially happens in “danger” situations. If you’re walking with their hand in yours, your first reaction to danger is to jerk them away by whatever bit you’re holding on to. Lots of babies get “nanny elbow” and dislocated shoulders this way.
Having said this, my nieces and nephews love to “swing” while we walk… where an adult has one hand each, they step forward a bit and then the child swings through.
November 5th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Adorable. He looks like a natural and fun dad. Our 14 mth old spends half her life upside down, giggling herself silly. Toddlers love to rough house!
November 5th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
I have to agree with some of the other posters. I don’t like the photo. The baby does not look happy — she looks scared. With so many other cute poses they could have gone for, why use one which puts the baby in such a compromising position? I think the photo could have been done with more taste and more respect for the baby.
November 5th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
I agree that “we” need to lighten up. I’m a social worker and I can guarantee that Child Protective Services would not be called over such a photo. The photo does not indicate any form of abuse. My kids loved being held upside down as babies – it is only for a moment. I think he has a great sense humor which is exactly what is needed as a parent.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:05 am
We don’t know if a green screen was used for the photo and a hidden thick pad to brake a sudden fall.At least Jsaon was not dangling the child from a hotel balcony with a srum of screaming fans and paps!
Yes this was truly cute!
November 6th, 2007 at 10:54 am
THe picture is really ODD.
Must be the combination of the baby being naked, weird expression on baby’s face (like she’s saying ‘help me’), being held only by an ankle (not two or by arms) and that nonchalant expression on the father’s face as well as his body language (one hand on the hip and all that)
Just looks like he doesn’t care about the baby and it really IS a prop though I didn’t take his prop comment seriously and he probably does care for his daughter.
November 7th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
I don’t like this photo AT ALL… If Francesca was smiling *and* dressed…. I think I’d be okay with it… But she looks seriously freaked. JMHO….