Social Network Star Eisenberg Slams Zuckerberg As Obsessed With Power

Photo : AFP

Jesse Eisenberg, who played Mark Zuckerberg in the 2010 film *The Social Network*, has shared his thoughts on how Zuckerberg has changed over the years. Eisenberg said that Zuckerberg once had "a sense of righteousness" but has now become "somebody obsessed with power."

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When Eisenberg portrayed Zuckerberg, he tried to understand and justify the character. The film, directed by David Fincher, influenced how the public saw Facebook and its founder. Eisenberg explained that, as an actor, his job was to connect with the character and see things from his perspective. At the time, he believed Zuckerberg was someone who could understand things faster than others and had a strong sense of purpose because of his intelligence.

Fifteen years later, Eisenberg has a different view. He pointed out that Zuckerberg has changed his political stance, now aligning with Donald Trump's administration, and has reduced fact-checking on Facebook. This made Eisenberg think about how Zuckerberg has evolved. He once thought Zuckerberg might grow into a courageous leader, but instead, he sees him as someone focused on power and greed. As an actor who once studied him deeply, Eisenberg finds this change interesting.

Eisenberg gained worldwide recognition after *The Social Network* and was nominated for an Oscar. Now, he is returning to the Academy Awards with his new film, *A Real Pain*, which he wrote, directed, and acted in alongside Kieran Culkin from *Succession*. The movie tells the story of two Jewish cousins traveling to Poland on a Holocaust tour. It has earned two Oscar nominations—Best Original Screenplay for Eisenberg and Best Supporting Actor for Culkin. Since premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, the film has received high praise and has been released in major theaters across the U.S. and Europe. Many critics have highlighted the sharp dialogue between Eisenberg’s and Culkin’s characters, David and Benji, and how the film blends humor with deep emotional struggles.

For Eisenberg, this project is deeply personal. His grandparents were from Poland and escaped the Nazis. He also has personal experience with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), both of which are explored in the film. Eisenberg shared that David's character is closely based on his own life. The medication David takes in the film is the same as Eisenberg’s, and the production team even asked if they could use his real prescription pills as props. He also connected with Benji’s emotional struggles, saying he has experienced similar challenges. A major theme of the film is existential guilt—Eisenberg questioned how he could feel self-pity or struggle with daily life when his grandparents’ generation had faced near-certain death. His connection to his roots was so strong that, after filming, he applied for and received Polish citizenship.

Initially, Eisenberg was unsure about casting Kieran Culkin as Benji because Culkin is not Jewish. However, he soon realized that Culkin was the perfect choice for the role. Once he let go of that concern, Culkin became the clear option. Eisenberg praised Culkin’s energy, comedic timing, and intelligence. Despite Eisenberg being the film’s director, he joked that Culkin often took charge during filming. Eisenberg would set up a shot, and Culkin would make fun of him, saying the setup was bad.

Eisenberg has directed before, with his 2022 film *When You Finish Saving the World*, and plans to continue working both in front of and behind the camera. However, he admitted that nothing in the movie industry has brought him as much happiness as his volunteer work during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, he worked daily at a shelter for victims of domestic violence, which was run by his mother-in-law. He described that experience as the most fulfilling time of his life.

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