Jesse Eisenberg premieres The Debut at San Sebastian
Jesse Eisenberg has brought The Debut, his latest feature as writer-director, to the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain.
He discussed the film at a press conference at the festival, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It is his third film behind the camera. His previous film, A Real Pain, earned multiple Oscar nominations.
The cast is large. Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti lead an ensemble that also includes Halle Bailey, Havana Rose Liu, Bernadette Peters, Colton Ryan, Lilli Cooper, Maulik Pancholy and Bonnie Milligan, alongside Eisenberg himself.
Moore plays Mona Friedman, a shy woman unexpectedly cast in a local production of an original musical. Giamatti plays the strong-willed and enigmatic director of that production. Moore's character falls under his spell and loses herself in the role.
Eisenberg said the story is partially autobiographical. He joined community theatre as a shy 7-year-old in central New Jersey. The film is set in that same place in 1990.
The project reunites him with Moore. She starred in his first feature as a director, 2022's When You Finish Saving the World. Eisenberg recalled that film received bad reviews, according to Variety.
He also described how working with Moore changed his view of acting. He once called it a ridiculous, vain and overpaid job. That opinion shifted in a single moment while watching her prepare on his first film.
He watched her on a monitor going through a deep emotional process for an office scene while others around her were joking. He said the focus and seriousness of that preparation stayed with him.
Eisenberg also addressed his decision not to return as Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Reckoning, according to Entertainment Weekly. Jeremy Strong took over the role after Eisenberg declined, according to People. Writer Aaron Sorkin spent three days trying to persuade Eisenberg to return, according to The Playlist.
What makes this stand out for festival audiences is the personal thread. A shy child in a New Jersey rehearsal room grew into an actor-director writing about that room.
