Best Film: The Social NetworkRight before critics and audiences fell in love with Jesse Eisenberg in David Fincher’s The Social Network, I got to visit the set of director Ruben Fleischer’s (Zombieland) 30 Minutes or Less while the production was filming in Michigan. In the action-comedy, Eisenberg plays “a small town pizza delivery guy whose mundane life collides with the big plans of two wanna-be criminal masterminds (Danny McBride and Nick Swardson).” While on set, I got to participate in a group interview and after the jump, you can either read or listen to the full conversation. However, here’s five things I learned:
- A pizza place let him shadow one of their drivers to learn what it’s like to deliver pizzas and how to interact with customers. Someone tipped him $5 because they liked Adventureland.
- The emotional center of the movie is that his character has never done anything with his life. He’s in love with a girl and he’s never told her, and he’s just been lazy. This event is the catalyst that makes him take a stand.
- His character in 30 Minutes or Less is more serious in tone than the one in Zombieland. It has to be played more straight.
- Filming 30 Minutes felt like a continuation of Zombieland because Fleischer used the same crew from that film.
- When choosing films, he looks for something realistic and an emotional journey, and he says 30 Minutes or Less “had that in spades.”As usual, we’re offering two ways to get this interview: you can either listen to the interview by clicking here or the full transcript is below. Again, 30 Minutes or Less opens August 12.
Question: We just saw you for hours doing the same scene take after take. How is it like for you as an actor to maintain that sort of energy level and to do that scene again, and again, and again?
Jesse Eisenberg: Sometimes it’s easier than others. Don’t drink coffee in the morning because then you’ll have like peaks of energy. I try to maintain a low level exhaustion all day.
What kind of research did you do in order to get into the working world of a professional delivery driver and his crap car?
Eisenberg: Well, the pizza place where we’re filming the movie, they let me go out with this guy Alex, who they thought was most similar to my character. I was surprised to realize how similar he was. He was as sarcastic and self-aware as the character is. It was a perfect match for my character. Also for the kind of basic logistics of how it is to deliver pizzas and who the costumers are. These guys who kidnap me in gorilla masks are surprisingly not far off from some of the people we met that evening.
There’s a great line about knowing that you’re going to be executed in the morning really concentrates the mind. Is that a part of your characters ark with death strapped to him in an explosive vest? Does that make him aware of things he should be doing differently in life?
Eisenberg: Yeah, the emotional center of the movie is this character who has never done anything in his life. He has a line “I’ve never even quit a job. I just waited around to get fired.” He’s in love with this girl who’s his best friend’s sister. He’s never told her. He’s just kind of ridden through life lazily. This metaphorically lights a fire underneath him to take a stand and spend these ten hours doing everything he should have been doing the last several years.
Has it been more intense running from hordes of zombies or having this bomb strapped to your chest?
Eisenberg: This movie is more, at least for my character, more serious in tone. Zombieland was a little more fun, at least for my character. This one, at least for me, has to be played pretty much straight. This one is a little more exhausting because there’s no room for me because it’s set in the real world. There’s less room for me to have…there’s no winking to the audience with this one.
Were there any rules from Zombieland that you could apply to this?
Eisenberg: I was surprised when we were doing Zombieland that Ruben Fleischer accounts for the emotional inner life, as pretentious as this may sound, but this is the actor’s job so this is what I think about all the time. He accounts for the actor’s inner emotional through line and inner life in a real way. When I read the script of that movie, I didn’t necessarily think that it would earn that kind of attention. So with this, I was much more excited to go into this knowing that the director is someone who is doing a comedy that is occasionally broad and also visually arresting, but that he will also pay attention and account for the actors process and emotional experience.
How hard is it to balance the stakes? Like the criminal stuff and also reacting in a way that should be presumably funny as it is believable.
Eisenberg: I guess the more serious you play something, if the context is funny, then it will be funny and it doesn’t really require you to be necessarily, explicitly humorous, or silly. There are some scenes in this movie, because of the grave situation, are naturally that much more funny. For example, the last several days we’ve been filming this bank robbery where Aziz Ansari and I have to rob a bank and everything that can go wrong in the bank does go wrong. It’s because the two of us are so panicked, freaked out, and taking it so seriously that it’s really funny.Was it a nice transition going into this film and working with Ruben again?
Eisenberg: It almost feels like a continuation because it’s the same crew and working with Ruben is so wonderful, and it feels like an extension of the same process.
When you found out that Danny McBride and Aziz Ansari were going to be in this movie, did it make you nervous?
Eisenberg: Not really. I didn’t feel…I was really excited that they were doing the movie because I’ve loved them, but for me it doesn’t change what my character should be doing. We’re all playing three different roles and my character is comparatively the straight man, not that I think of it this way, but compared to them, objectively speaking would be the straighter character. Because they’re so funny it gives me more room to play it straight because they can compensate and make the scenes funny and the pressure is not necessarily on me because I don’t think it should be. My character is going through a very real thing.
Were you the first to be involved in this project?
Eisenberg: I think I was the last one involved in the movie. I’m not sure how they casted, but it might’ve been written for Danny [McBride] and his character. Ruben’s been a huge fan of Danny for years. During Zombieland he would talk about him all the time. I know he was thrilled to get him.
What do you find is more challenging to play?
Eisenberg: When you take on a role you try to do as much as possible beforehand to get your mind into it. Just to prepare because it’s a daunting prospect to go six months or whatever. This is three months to do something. With the Facebook movie, there’s video to watch of the character I played and there’s audio and there’s images. And this one, there’s a pizza guy who can take me around. Ideas as equivalent preparation experiences.
Was the pizza guy a local?
Eisenberg: Yeah, I did the Hollywood pizza place. No [laughs]the place where we’re filming here in Grand Rapids. The pizza guy took me around, names Alex, really cool.
Were you anonymous? Did you get recognized?
Eisenberg: Yeah, somebody gave us $5 because they liked Adventureland.
Where you apprehensive about working with Ruben at all?
Eisenberg: Of course not. It’s the opposite. He did such an amazing job with Zombieland. Of course, I would love to work with him forever.
I read some of the early drafts of this script and your character is more of a self-assure wise-ass then. Were you looking for a change?
Eisenberg: I really love the character. When I read it, it seemed like a real person. It seemed like somebody, who to me, is the movie so to speak though the change and that kind of all seemed realistic. In that way it felt similar. That’s what I look for when I’m looking to act in something. Something realistic and an emotional journey, and this character had that in spades.
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Calendar
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Family & Friends
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Projects
30 Minutes Or Less (2011)
Role: Nick
Status: In theatres August 12th, 2011
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Rio (2011)
Role: Blu (voice)
Status: In theatres April 15th, 2011
Site |Images
The Social Network (2010)
Role: Mark Zuckerberg
Status: Completed
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Holy Rollers (2009)
Role: Sam Gold
Status: Completed
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Site Info
Jesse Eisenberg On Set Interview 30 MINUTES OR LESS
Posted by Sapna on May 10, 2011
http://www.jesse-eisenberg.com/news/jesse-eisenberg-on-set-interview-30-minutes-or-less/
Jul
/ May 10, 2011amazing interview…
loved listening to his voice. (Ive just listened to White Cat on audio again through dinner because I wanted to hear that voice so close)
SOMEBODY WHO WATCHED AND LIKED ADVENTURELAND GAVE HIM A $5 TIP.
Im feeling all sort of soft and mush and happy at that mention.
(is it true? not one of his jokes I hope because it would be amazing in real life. let it be a real story.)
The idea of a pizza guy taking him around is brilliant.
also what he said inspires confidence in me for the movie. so glad.
======
a tiny bit of feedback on the front on 30MOL: sounds like responses to test screenings have been good.
http://www.laineygossip.com/Andrew_Garfield_and_Jesse_Eisenberg_go_shopping_in_New_York_09may11.aspx?CatID=0&CelID=0
Jul
/ May 10, 2011http://www.cinemablend.com/new/30-Minutes-Or-Less-Set-Visit-Interview-Jesse-Eisenberg-24622.html
another set interview with cinemablend.com? I cant remember seeing this one posted before.
——–
also dont remember this picture having been released before.
http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/30_Minutes_or_Less_Jesse_Eisenberg_Aziz_Ansari-1.jpg
cecille
/ May 10, 2011Insightful interview as always… Why do you have to be so smart in every interview, Jesse?!?
JuL, loved that story about the $5 tip too. But knowing Jesse, he might just be pulling our leg. But still funny just the same.
Jul
/ May 10, 2011=V= my comments aren’t showing up because for some reason they need to go through moderation now… maybe it’s the links I put in.
just want to point out that cinemablend.com also has a on-set interview published today.
cecille
/ May 10, 2011JuL, saw the interview, thanks!
There’s a part there that made me sad: How he signed on to do some indies that are struggling to raise the finances… I hope they get the funds soon so filming could begin. We need more Jesse movies!
cecille
/ May 10, 2011Also that play he was supposed to do… Wonder if the play still pushed through without him in the cast…
Jul
/ May 10, 2011Being low-budget and having all those financial troubles are (dare I say) part of the charm of indie movies, arent they? XD
Im sure now that Jesse is an Oscar nominee and stuff, indies with him will have a bigger chance of coming out… (we have to keep in mind that at the time these interviews were done, TSN hasnt come out in theatres yet)
hes probably being self-deprecating in the last bit in that Cinemablend interview. From what I understood a lot of actors (his friends) signed onto Holy Rollers for him, having him as part of the cast must be a great thing for those projects
Silvia
/ May 10, 2011I’m in LOVE
Jul
/ May 10, 2011alright so I missed this one… interview of Aziz Ansari and Dilshad Vadsaria, also on set of 30MOL, also by collider.com
http://collider.com/aziz-ansari-dilshad-vadsaria-interview-30-minutes-or-less/89670/
Aziz’s hilarious.
‘Ansari: Wow I’ve had a very different experience. Um, he’s really unprofessional. He’s like always at craft services eating cherries and M&Ms. I’m like “Dude, we’ve got to like rehearse and he’s like ‘Well, I’ll just do it when I need to do it.’” It’s just hard.’
yes, he’s talking about Jesse.
cecille
/ May 11, 2011LOL at the Aziz quote, JuL! I kind of think there’s truth to it, except the unprofessionalism part of course. Jesse has talked about loving how he gets to “eat candy all day” before!
About the indie films, I read before how Jesse was cast along with Chris Evans and Ben Whishaw in a beatnik movie but that never materialized until now when Jesse is an Oscar nominee. The premise was promising though so I hope it gets made
Jul
/ May 11, 2011I think he kept his figure by riding his bike everyday.
wish I have that much motivation to exercise.
movie with Chris Evans…. when did that happen? :O
I also heard that Jesse was originally in talks for a sci-fi sort of movie and Kate Bosworth was involved in the main cast. The title was on IMDB for months but recently finally got taken down. (thank goodness in my mind, I have a thing against Bosworth.)
I suspect lots of projects he was previously in negotiation with are now called off… because he now has to be, I don’t know, selective? or something?
The way Aziz talked about him, they really must be getting along very well. Dilshad (the actress in the sister’s part) spoke really nicely of him though, I’m really glad about it. XD And she’s hot. I like her already.
Keeping in mind that these interviews were done nearly a year ago before TSN hit theaters, the adoring (almost fangirly) way those interviewers speak of Jesse and asks for feedback about him from the rest of the cast…. warms my heart. XDDD
I never knew Jesse before TSN, but he must have done very well in the indie circle.
Ruben also has a load of positive stuff to say about Jesse, check out his interview on collider.com if you have time.
there’s a bit in there that makes me want to laugh. The interviewer asked Ruben if he found it difficult to get Jesse. I just… OMGed.
Jul
/ May 11, 2011yet another on set interview. theyre all coming out since Sony lifted the embargo.
http://screencrave.com/2011-05-10/30-minutes-or-less-set-visit-jesse-eisenberg-interview/
Quote:
During the middle of the interview, Eisenberg had to run off and do a few more takes, but as soon as they cut he came back over and finished, making sure to answer everyones questions before taking a much needed lunch break with the rest of the crew (and even us peons press attendees). He’s not one of the most outwardly vivacious actors, but he has a subtle charm and an awkward charisma that makes him a pleasure to talk to. And watching him work on set it was obvious, he’s an actor in love with acting and that for him, comedy is a serious business that he not only loves, but knows how to do damn well.
Jul
/ May 11, 2011um, no, sorry… posted the link without even reading first, my bad. its the same interview although on a different website. (those journalists were all asking questions and recording together.)
But cinemablend.com has a different interview albeit it sounded much like the same occasion.
cecille
/ May 11, 2011Here is the info on it, JuL:
[url]http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/jesse-eisenberg-joins-kill-your-darlings-as-allen-ginsberg/[/url]
I don’t know how far into production have they gone (if at all) but yeah in another article Jesse had a quote about how beautiful Ben was LOL! Anyways, was hoping to read more about it but I guess it never materialized.
Was that “Midnight Sun”? Yes, I think that’s not going to happen either.
OMG we’re the same! Didn’t know Jesse before TSN… My life was normal back then LOL! Actually all the interviews in the past I’ve read of cast members, crew members, and media peeps have positive things to say about Jesse. Even those critics who weren’t necessarily a fan of TSN or his acting couldn’t help but say how humble, adorable and endearing Jesse is.
Of course there will be a few who will criticize him for being the poor man’s you know who, and that he’s never going to get further than he’s gotten ‘coz eventually people will get tired of his awkward nerd act. Oh well you can’t win them all.
That quote you posted just made me went into a long Awwww… Why do you do this to us, Jesse!?!
By the way, what’s an embargo?
Jul
/ May 11, 2011yeah, that’s the name exactly, midnight sun. there’s something about the name that sounded cheesy to me… if it’s never gonna be mentioned again I wouldn’t mind XD
my life was pretty ok even when I saw TSN. I got really interested in last year’s Oscar debate and saw as many of the nominated films as I can. But it was all still bordering on normal, right up to the moment I saw a video interview of Jesse…..
then normality flew out of my door. I haven’t found it since.
(it feels so long ago… but it was actually, what, half a year?…. to think I was more interested in Andrew back then, gosh.)
on critics: well I have seen some pretty unflattering remarks lying around, although not from the movie-making people. Two nights ago I came across a livejournal post dedicated to hating Jesse Eisenberg. I would’ve typed out a proper, rational rebuttal except that I’ve been a little busy and the post was too old, really.
There have been people who feel uncomfortable with Jesse’s awkwardness, mistaking that slightly painful honesty to arrogance or ’emo’ or pretentiousness… just because Jesse isn’t what they’re used to as a celebrity and doesn’t actually feel a need to suck up to the mainstream. Sometimes people hate for the most ridiculous reasons.
And you know criticism will come sooner or later. I fully expect people to attack him for being typecasted in nerdy, neurotic roles. (Some of the professional comments for Woody Allen’s Rome project… piss me off. you know, sort of passive-aggressively commenting on Jesse carrying on the neurotic Jew torch and Jesse knowing what he’s good for: geek with neurosis.)
I dunno if Jesse could totally avoid that unless he makes a really amazing typecast breakthrough in the future.
on embargo: I found that in one of the interviews and just quoted it actually XDD my impression was that it means an injunction not to reveal any info or press about the movie until a certain date, that is, 10th May.
Jul
/ May 11, 2011oh yes, forgot to say – thanks for info on Kill your Darlings! have heard of that before but didnt pay much attention. reading that later.
selma
/ May 12, 2011about the supposed movie “kill your darlings”, I hope it gets made. I’d really like to se Jesse as a poet saying having all these poetic lines and/or just wear nice tweed coats. I have a thing for when Jesse wears these brown sortof tweed jackets in movies, and I hope he wears a nice tweed coat in The Wrong Picture too. lol if he doesn’t that’s completely fine too obvs.
but back to the movie. Is it really happening? google searches only showcase some articles about it back in 2009. in those pieces it souned like it was positive he was gonna star in it. but today there’s nothing on imdb, so.. :/ wonder what happened.
cecille
/ May 12, 2011Sorry I posted this on the wrong item so here it is:
OK, JuL, I have to warn you and the others who will see this: This is kind of a long post.
I saw info on that on IMDB (where I often log in), and the only thing that interested me about it was that it was supposed to be produced by Kevin Spacey, who was also involved with TSN. Other than that, didn’t really care.
Anyways, I’ve always been fascinated with movies and try to see them as often as I can. Thank God for bootlegged copies (we call them “pirated” over here) and the internet, I get to see those ones not released in the theatres here. When I saw Jesse in TSN (it was shown here three weeks after its release in the US), I was really impressed that I looked up every info on him on IMDB and other sites then got to watch interviews with him and that’s when it really hit me, like what you said. Normality is still very much missing. It DOES feel like it’s been long ago… Weird.
I was on a lot of awards sites when Jesse’s name began being mentioned as a possibility for an Oscar nod, and some comments on those sites were downright mean and some were somewhat reasonable. I would go defend Jesse every time until I just got so P.O. at one of the posters who kept posting every chance he got that there were several better actors who deserved to be nominated before Jesse. I haven’t seen all films yet of the supposed contenders so I kept my mouth shut, and it was somehow taking a lot of my time since like every other day there would be a critics group who would give out awards.
Anyways, what really infuriated me then and until now is when posters bring up you-know-who’s name when talking about Jesse. It really makes my blood boil. That guy has no career now to speak of, let it go!!! On the other hand, it kinda warms my heart when people compare Jesse to established actors like DiCaprio and Day-Lewis even if it is along the lines of “Jesse is not as good as those two.” Because at least those ARE well-admired actors and to be compared to them, even in a negative way, is like flattering. Well, at least that’s the way I see it… Is that weird?
I see a lot of those neurotic geek comments too but I am confident that Jesse will prove that wrong soon. He is already about to work with Woody Allen and this may open doors for him anew.
Thanks for the info on embargo. So that’s what it is! Wonder why they allowed it so early? The release date is two months away.
Selma, I don’t think it will. Chris Evans is already going to be busy as Captain America and all its 100 sequels. Don’t know about Ben though
Jul
/ May 12, 2011@ cecille: don’t worry about it being long, I don’t think you’ve broken my record for comment length yet. LOLLL
@ selma: by tweed you mean like in Living Wake? the geography-professor look? XDD
I read up what cecille gave me earlier and it did seem like it would have been a great movie. But by the sound of it they were operating from a tiny budget and the would-be directors were new and inexperienced… maybe that’s what failed.
btw, some sources quoted Woody Allen as quashing the rumour that the title would be The Wrong Picture. don’t have time to dig up the source at the moment but I’m sure you can google it
@ cecille again: lovely to hear your experience! I got into TSN rather later than you did because I kind of was convinced TKS must be better, and was holding it off… then I watched it for myself. and then. a lot of things happened. XD
But I feel a bit different from you because while I love Jesse, my own understanding of acting is so superficial that I usually don’t feel I can defend him properly with the right words. He’s probably really good and wonderful… but I wouldn’t be able to describe it very well.
I love Jesse as a person. My dedication to him is fueled mostly by his personality alone. XD That subtlety in his performance takes a lot to observe and comprehend and I haven’t got to that level yet…
so whenever I see criticisms of his acting, I just tell myself if they’re wrong, Jesse will prove them wrong. Eventually. (and I trust him completely to do so.)
but I do share your feelings… that’s how I feel too. People mixing up MC with Jesse – that’s such a stupid mistake to make. I roll my eyes every time.
anyway, I wish we can discuss our love (and share info) for Jesse properly without spamming the post. XD wanna exchange emails, anyone?
Jul
/ May 12, 2011new stuff. source: exclusive from vulture.
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/05/scott_rudin_options_story_abou.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nymag%2Fvulture+%28Vulture+-+nymag.com%27s+Entertainment+and+Culture+Blog%29
Quote: Scott Rudin has just optioned “The Terrorist Search Engine,” a recent New York Magazine profile of controversial counterterrorism expert witness Evan Kohlmann — and what’s more, the Oscar-magnet producer is interested in adapting the piece as a possible starring vehicle for The Social Network’s Jesse Eisenberg.
Jul
/ May 12, 2011the moment you look at the original material here: http://nymag.com/news/features/69920/
you know why Rudin wants Jesse. look at that face.
but I’m not thrilled about it. It’s obvious how people are going to receive it… Jesse being only good for computer geek roles, etc.
let’s see the script and characterization first…
cecille
/ May 12, 2011JuL, don’t worry about it, TKS was a good film and I can understand why you fell in love with that one before TSN.
Come to think of it, I kind of relate to what you wrote. I am no acting expert, but when I watch someone onscreen who moves me and makes a strong impact, I’m in. That’s how remarkable his acting was in TSN for me. Like how Christophe Waltz in “Inglorious Basterds.”
But the reason I became a big fan of Jesse is really his wonderful personality, like you said, that comes out during interviews. Yes, his sense of humor is not for everyone, but the charm and intelligence and the kindness, they always shine through whether in tv or in print. I do worry sometimes that one false step in his part (maybe one drunken night caught on camera) and everyone else will turn on him.
I don’t know that book but any project with Rudin and Jesse, I am in. It looks like the character would go from a young man to a grown man like in that pic so it’s not just about being a geek. I don’t want to get excited about this until there is a director involved and other cast members are announced; otherwise it may be just a make a wish project.
I also saw this on Indiewire which is usually a reliable source but then that’s the site who reported the wrong Woody Allen title so I won’t trust it.