JESSE Eisenberg has no desire to revisit the role that earned him widespread acclaim more than a decade ago.
Screenwriter and filmmaker Aaron Sorkin recently revealed that he approached Eisenberg about reprising his portrayal of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in his upcoming film, ‘The Social Reckoning’, before ultimately casting Jeremy Strong in the role.
Speaking about the casting process, Sorkin said he spent three days attempting to persuade Eisenberg to return as Zuckerberg, a character he famously played in the critically acclaimed 2010 film ‘The Social Network’.
“I felt like the role belonged to him,” Sorkin said.
“He had already been through it all and was certainly battle-tested.”
However, Eisenberg declined the offer, having grown weary of being associated with the tech billionaire.
According to Sorkin, the actor no longer wishes to be linked so closely to Zuckerberg and is uncomfortable with the public perception that continues to connect the two.
“He simply did not want to be conflated with Mark Zuckerberg anymore,” Sorkin explained.
“He has his issues with the guy. He doesn’t enjoy being approached in airports by young fans asking him to sign novelty business cards and other Zuckerberg-related memorabilia.”
Fortunately for the filmmaker, another actor was ready to step into the role.
Sorkin revealed that he met Jeremy Strong at the same event where he had approached Eisenberg, and the ‘Succession’ star immediately expressed interest in taking on the part.
“He turned up on his first day, and when he said ‘good morning’ to me, he was already speaking like Mark,” Sorkin recalled. Eisenberg received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance in ‘The Social Network’, which chronicled the creation of Facebook and the legal battles surrounding the social media giant’s early years.
The film went on to become one of the most acclaimed dramas of its generation.
In ‘The Social Reckoning’, the story shifts its focus to the controversies surrounding Facebook in more recent years.
The film follows former Facebook engineer Frances Haugen, played by Mikey Madison, and The Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz, portrayed by Jeremy Allen White, as they expose some of the social network’s most closely guarded secrets.
‘The Social Reckoning’ is scheduled for release on October 9.
