'Identity Thief''s Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman talk suffering for their art: Watch

Also: Bateman explains how the film's billboard campaign ruined his marriage

By Chris Eggertsen Monday, Feb 4, 2013 11:13 PM

Sometimes comedy can be a real pain.

Just ask "Identity Thief" co-stars Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman, whose hilarious knock-down-drag-out brawl in the film's trailer may well have resulted in actual bloodshed.

"I found that the big trick to doing the fight scenes was to just actually beat the hell out of each other," said McCarthy during my recent interview with the duo, to which Bateman replied: "Yeah, she struck me pretty hard a couple of times."

So how did he get revenge on his co-star?

"I remember you being like, 'or, I could hit her in the face with a guitar,'" said McCarthy as she glanced over at Bateman. "Which I thought was a joke."

As if actually making the movie wasn't painful enough, the film's advertising campaign appears to have had an adverse effect on Bateman's personal life.

"My wife is not sleeping with me. She's not even in the house anymore," he confessed.

Ok, so I'm pretty sure they were being sarcastic. Pretty sure.

Click on the video above to watch the full interview.

"Identity Thief" hits theaters this Friday.

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Chris Eggertsen
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A former contributor to sites including Bloody-Disgusting and AfterElton, Eggertsen enjoys rock music, rainy days and smelling the pages of old books. You should read all of his articles and follow him on Twitter because it's the right thing to do.