Steven Conrad reflected on why Jason Bateman took over the role of Clark in ‘DTF St. Louis.’ The showrunner recently revealed the role was initially meant for Pedro Pascal to portray; however, that changed when the story started to go in a different direction.
Steven Conrad reveals when the change came
While speaking to PEOPLE, Steven Conrad said, “He (Bateman) had some different stories to assess and suggested maybe we could set it here with these terms, with these characters,” Conrad recalls. He added that they started to “go down a few roads” trying to discover which one lent itself to the most exciting long-term storyline, and then they decided that they were just going to “make up one true crime angle that existed.”
How the role went from Pedro Pascal to Jason Bateman
“Pedro was around in that very early period where David and I were scratching our heads over things,” said Conrad. “When that role became brand new and wide open and something for me to create again, it was Jason I thought of because I knew he was free, and he rarely is. So we tried to entice Jason with the role, and it all made sense for Jason.”Conrad added that Bateman playing Harbour’s “partner in crime” came across naturally on camera, comparing them to “two little kids who sit in a fort and play with matches.” Conrad also revealed that he and Jason have been friendly for years, and that they were trying to find something. He continues, “And then it occurred to me that I could build this for Jason.”
About ‘DTF St. Louis’ and Jason Bateman’s role
David Harbour stars in the 2026 dark comedy as Floyd, a middle-aged man dealing with erectile dysfunction and a passionless relationship with his wife, Carol (Linda Cardellini). Things start looking up when he meets Clark (Jason Bateman), a local weatherman who is secretly having an affair with Floyd’s wife and introduces him to an infidelity dating app called DTF St. Louis.
