According to Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz, Jeremy Piven was his first choice for the role of Michael Bluth. The future Ari Gold would have almost had it, if Jason Bateman hand't nailed his audition. The Week reports that and other revelations from Hurwitz's chat at yesterday's New York Television Festival.
Piven was funny as Ellen's cousin, but I really don't see how that would trump Bateman's long career, prior to the show.
Valerie Valerie's Family The Hogan Family was probably his greatest success as a young adult, many of his child actor performances are standout to this day, while Piven's success had been as the "male character" replacement for Arye Gross.
(This is not to take anything away from Piven, but prior to Arrested Development and Entourage, I would have considered Bateman as the bigger star)
