Aaron Sorkin admits feeling frustrated. The American screenwriter opened up about Jesse Eisenberg’s decision not to return for The Social Reckoning. The writer-director spent several days trying to convince the actor to reprise his role as Mark Zuckerberg.
In his conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Sorkin said, “I knew what the studio was offering him to do it, but money does not motivate Jesse. It’s infuriating. If anything, money is a disincentive for him. It’s admirable. He’s very concerned about raising his kids with too much money.”
Sorkin had kept the new script private while developing the film. When he was nearly finished, he met Eisenberg at a party and told him he would send the script soon. The writer-director revealed, “It never occurred to me that he wouldn’t wanna do it.”
He then spent a three-day weekend making his case for Eisenberg’s return. Sorkin even wrote an outline for their conversations, covering the reasons he believed the actor should reprise Zuckerberg.
Why didn’t Jesse Eisenberg want to star in The Social Reckoning?
Eisenberg did not want to be associated with Mark Zuckerberg anymore, despite liking Sorkin’s script. He addressed the decision himself at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in July. “I don’t want to be associated with [Zuckerberg] anymore because I don’t really like the comparison,” he told the audience.
In the same interview, Sorkin explained that Eisenberg disliked being “conflated” with Zuckerberg. He also noted that the actor feels they resemble each other physically, while the role remains his most recognizable performance.
Jeremy Strong now plays Zuckerberg in The Social Reckoning. After taking the role, Strong contacted Zuckerberg and told him he was approaching the part seriously. He also studied interviews and footage of Zuckerberg while preparing for the character.
The film is set 16 years after The Social Network and also stars Jeremy Allen White and Mikey Madison. The Social Reckoning reaches theaters on October 9.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
