Jesse Eisenberg is trying to stay calm as The Debut gains Oscar buzz. The musical comedy received rave reviews at Telluride and Toronto. Julianne Moore has also sparked talk of a possible acting nomination. Eisenberg says he prefers to focus on continuing his work instead of awards.
Jesse Eisenberg reacts to the growing Oscar buzz around The Debut
Eisenberg told The Hollywood Reporter that he tries to stay focused on working in the arts. “Once one job ends, you look for the next one,” he said. He explained that this mindset helps him handle the busy awards season. Eisenberg said he wants to keep his “sanity” instead of getting caught up in the Oscar conversation.
The director also reflected on his experience with A Real Pain, which earned him an Oscar nomination for its screenplay. Kieran Culkin won the supporting actor Oscar for his role in that film. Eisenberg said his father taught him to feel grateful if he ever reached the Academy Awards. “You should feel just incredibly lucky,” his father told him.
That advice has shaped how Eisenberg views the attention around The Debut. “I live by that idea, rather than that I deserve something, or that the film deserves something,” he said. Eisenberg also pointed out that many filmmakers work hard, but awards attention does not reach everyone. “Who knows how all the chips fall?” he added.
The Debut stars Moore as a housewife who finds a new sense of purpose after joining a community theater musical. Eisenberg said he hopes audiences connect with Mona’s struggle to escape her old life and “find her voice.” He also based the film on his own experience in New Jersey community theater as a child. As Oscar talk grows, Eisenberg says his real goal remains simple: to keep working in an “unstable field” without letting awards define his career.
