Actor JASON BATEMAN believes his young JUNO co-star ELLEN PAGE is far more talented than he ever was.

The Arrested Development star was reminded of his own erstwhile shortcomings when he witnessed the 20-year-old Canadian actress at work.

He says, "I was a ham. When I was shot in Little House On The Prairie, I hurled myself to the ground and lay there shivering. It was embarrassing. "If somebody had hammed up that role, of Juno, the film would not have been so great. What she didn't do was really good. She checked her ego and let the dialogue speak for itself."