Eisenberg: Leaving U.S. Over Trump Would Be 'Silly'
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- Jesse Eisenberg, speaking at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival where he received the President's Award, said leaving the U.S. over Trump-era politics would be 'silly,' citing a 'responsibility' to stay in New York City despite recently obtaining Polish citizenship.
- 'The Debut', Eisenberg's upcoming musical comedy starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti, is set for U.S. release on Dec. 3 via A24 — shot on film and set in the 1990s, which Eisenberg said made it feel 'like a movie from the 90s.'
- Eisenberg dismissed backlash over the A24-Google DeepMind AI partnership as having 'nothing to do with me,' calling 'The Debut' 'the opposite of AI' and describing A24 as the most 'artist-friendly' studio he's worked with over five years.
- Eisenberg said directing 'The Debut' felt 'more comfortable' than his Oscar-winning 'A Real Pain,' explaining that actors-turned-directors find themselves starting 'below genius' if a poorly received debut isn't followed by a hit.
- Eisenberg and his family are heading to Ukraine for charitable work with The Campfire Project — a program connected through actress Jessica Hecht — where his wife will teach art and he'll serve as 'the videographer on my phone.'
- Eisenberg said he won't reprise his Mark Zuckerberg role in Aaron Sorkin's 'The Social Reckoning' sequel because Zuckerberg has become 'famous' and he doesn't want to be associated with him anymore.
Why it matters: Eisenberg's public refusal to return as Zuckerberg removes the original, Oscar-nominated actor from a major studio sequel already in development — a concrete casting gap for Sorkin's follow-up to one of the defining tech-era films. His defense of A24 also lands at a moment when the studio's independent-film audience is openly rebelling against its DeepMind deal.
