Jason Bateman became an social media sensation after reacting to his Emmy win with shock and confusion.

The actor took home the prize for best directing for Ozark at the 71st annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.

His facial reaction to hearing his name announced was quickly turned into a meme on Twitter as the star was left astonished at his first win as a director.

The 50-year-old was up against directors for standout episodes of Game of Thrones, Killing Eve, Succession and The Handmaid's Tale.

"Wow," said Bateman onstage. "That is something."

His speech was brief, with the actor stating how lucky he is to work on this show and thanking the cast, crew and his family back home.

Social media users flocked to Twitter to discuss the moment, drawing parallels with Bateman's character on sitcom Arrested Development and describing his disbelief as "perfect."

Elsewhere in the evening, he gave viewers material for a second note-worthy moment, after being roasted by talk show hosts Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel.

Poking fun at Bateman, Kimmell said: "Who would sit behind a desk and pretend to be interested in Jason Bateman's vacation stories?"

Emmy Awards 2019: Winners - In pictures 36 show all Emmy Awards 2019: Winners - In pictures 1/36 Phoebe Waller-Bridge celebrates after winning for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for 'Fleabag' Reuters 2/36 Jodie Comer poses backstage with her Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series award for 'Killing Eve' Reuters 3/36 Michael Douglas (L) presents the cast of 'Game of Thrones' with the award for Outstanding Drama Series. Reuters 4/36 The cast of Fleabag poses backstage with their Outstanding Comedy Series award Reuters 5/36 The cast of RuPaul's Drag Race pose backstage with their award for Outstanding Competition Programme Reuters 6/36 Maisie Williams and Peter Dinklage pose with the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series "Game Of Thrones" AFP/Getty Images 7/36 Ben Whishaw accepts the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie award for 'A Very English Scandal' AFP/Getty Images 8/36 Ben Whishaw accepts the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie award for 'A Very English Scandal' Getty Images 9/36 Michelle Williams accepts the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for 'Fosse/Verdon' Reuters 10/36 Phoebe Waller-Bridge poses backstage with her Outstanding Leading Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series awards for 'Fleabag' Reuters 11/36 Peter Dinklage accepts the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for 'Game of Thrones' Reuters 12/36 Jodie Comer reacts as she wins Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for 'Killing Eve' Reuters 13/36 Julia Garner and Jason Bateman pose backstage with their awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for 'Ozark' Reuters 14/36 Billy Porter poses backstage with his Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for 'Pose' Reuters 15/36 Billy Porter speaks on stage Reuters 16/36 Billy Porter reacts on stage Reuters 17/36 Jason Bateman poses backstage with his Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series award for 'Ozark' Reuters 18/36 Jodie Comer accepts the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for 'Killing Eve' Reuters 19/36 Julia Garner poses backstage with her Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series award for 'Ozark' Reuters 20/36 Maisie Williams poses backstage with her Outstanding Drama Series award for 'Game of Thrones' Reuters 21/36 Peter Dinklage poses backstage with his Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for 'Game of Thrones' Reuters 22/36 Alex Borstein poses backstage stage with her Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series award for 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Reuters 23/36 Jodie Comer accepts the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for 'Killing Eve' from presenter Gwyneth Paltrow Reuters 24/36 Jesse Armstrong poses backstage with his Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series award for 'Succession' Reuters 25/36 The cast and crew of "Chernobyl" pose backstage with their Outstanding Limited Series award. Reuters 26/36 Jason Bateman celebrates after winning for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for 'Ozark' Reuters 27/36 Jharrel Jerome poses backstage with his Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie award for 'When They See Us' Reuters 28/36 Don Roy King poses backstage with his Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series award for 'Saturday Night LIve' Reuters 29/36 Lorne Michaels and the cast of "Saturday Night Live" accept the award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series Reuters 30/36 RuPaul poses backstage with his award for Outstanding Competition Program for 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Reuters 31/36 John Oliver poses backstage with his awards for Outstanding Variety Talk Series and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Talk Series for 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' Reuters 32/36 Michelle Williams poses backstage with her Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie award for 'Fosse/Verdon' Reuters 33/36 Annabel Jones, Charlie Brooker and Russel McLean pose backstage with their Outstanding Television Movie award for 'Bandersnatch' Reuters 34/36 Phoebe Waller-Bridge accepts the award for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for 'Fleabag' Reuters 35/36 Director Harry Bradbeer and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge celebrate as they accept the award for Outstanding Comedy Series winners for 'Fleabag' Reuters 36/36 Phoebe Waller-Bridge stands with fellow cast members as the accepts the award for Outstanding Comedy Series for 'Fleabag' Reuters 1/36 Phoebe Waller-Bridge celebrates after winning for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for 'Fleabag' Reuters 2/36 Jodie Comer poses backstage with her Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series award for 'Killing Eve' Reuters 3/36 Michael Douglas (L) presents the cast of 'Game of Thrones' with the award for Outstanding Drama Series. Reuters 4/36 The cast of Fleabag poses backstage with their Outstanding Comedy Series award Reuters 5/36 The cast of RuPaul's Drag Race pose backstage with their award for Outstanding Competition Programme Reuters 6/36 Maisie Williams and Peter Dinklage pose with the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series "Game Of Thrones" AFP/Getty Images 7/36 Ben Whishaw accepts the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie award for 'A Very English Scandal' AFP/Getty Images 8/36 Ben Whishaw accepts the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie award for 'A Very English Scandal' Getty Images 9/36 Michelle Williams accepts the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for 'Fosse/Verdon' Reuters 10/36 Phoebe Waller-Bridge poses backstage with her Outstanding Leading Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series awards for 'Fleabag' Reuters 11/36 Peter Dinklage accepts the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for 'Game of Thrones' Reuters 12/36 Jodie Comer reacts as she wins Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for 'Killing Eve' Reuters 13/36 Julia Garner and Jason Bateman pose backstage with their awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for 'Ozark' Reuters 14/36 Billy Porter poses backstage with his Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for 'Pose' Reuters 15/36 Billy Porter speaks on stage Reuters 16/36 Billy Porter reacts on stage Reuters 17/36 Jason Bateman poses backstage with his Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series award for 'Ozark' Reuters 18/36 Jodie Comer accepts the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for 'Killing Eve' Reuters 19/36 Julia Garner poses backstage with her Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series award for 'Ozark' Reuters 20/36 Maisie Williams poses backstage with her Outstanding Drama Series award for 'Game of Thrones' Reuters 21/36 Peter Dinklage poses backstage with his Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for 'Game of Thrones' Reuters 22/36 Alex Borstein poses backstage stage with her Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series award for 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Reuters 23/36 Jodie Comer accepts the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for 'Killing Eve' from presenter Gwyneth Paltrow Reuters 24/36 Jesse Armstrong poses backstage with his Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series award for 'Succession' Reuters 25/36 The cast and crew of "Chernobyl" pose backstage with their Outstanding Limited Series award. Reuters 26/36 Jason Bateman celebrates after winning for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for 'Ozark' Reuters 27/36 Jharrel Jerome poses backstage with his Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie award for 'When They See Us' Reuters 28/36 Don Roy King poses backstage with his Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series award for 'Saturday Night LIve' Reuters 29/36 Lorne Michaels and the cast of "Saturday Night Live" accept the award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series Reuters 30/36 RuPaul poses backstage with his award for Outstanding Competition Program for 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Reuters 31/36 John Oliver poses backstage with his awards for Outstanding Variety Talk Series and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Talk Series for 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' Reuters 32/36 Michelle Williams poses backstage with her Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie award for 'Fosse/Verdon' Reuters 33/36 Annabel Jones, Charlie Brooker and Russel McLean pose backstage with their Outstanding Television Movie award for 'Bandersnatch' Reuters 34/36 Phoebe Waller-Bridge accepts the award for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for 'Fleabag' Reuters 35/36 Director Harry Bradbeer and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge celebrate as they accept the award for Outstanding Comedy Series winners for 'Fleabag' Reuters 36/36 Phoebe Waller-Bridge stands with fellow cast members as the accepts the award for Outstanding Comedy Series for 'Fleabag' Reuters

The audience erupted in laughter - and even the actor at first seemed to enjoy the gag as he was smiling when the camera panned around.

While his wife beside him continued to laugh, Bateman looked over to her for support as the smile quickly disappeared from his face.

That same night, the Arrested Development actor missed out on an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

The Emmys is the biggest night in US television and recognises excellence in the medium.

US pop star Halsey performed the in memoriam section, singing Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time in tribute to stars including John Singleton, Cameron Boyce and Arte Johnson, who died in the last 12 months.

The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards took place at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles.