Jesse Eisenberg based new film on musical theatre as ‘it’s the world I know’

Hollywood star Jesse Eisenberg said he was inspired to base his latest film around musical theatre because “it’s the world I know”.

Eisenberg, 43, has appeared in films such as Zombieland and Now You See Me, and earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in 2010 film The Social Network.

Eisenberg has also worked behind the camera on films such as A Real Pain and When You Finish Saving The World, as well as his latest project The Debut – which he wrote and directed.

Speaking to the Press Association news agency ahead of the film’s UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, Eisenberg said: “The movie is about a very shy woman who finds her family and her home and her voice in the world of musical theatre – but it could have been anything.

“I write it about musical theatre because it’s the world I know, and it’s the same thing that happened to me.

“For some people who are so in need of something, almost anything can fill that hole.”

The upcoming musical-comedy stars Julianne Moore as a housewife who becomes obsessed with her role in a local community theatre musical, falling under the influence of domineering director Jerry (Paul Giamatti).

Julianne Moore stars in The Debut as a timid, unappreciated housewife who gets overly involved in a local theatre production (Doug Peters/PA)

PA Wire

On his own directing process, Eisenberg added: “I love anybody who is working hard and doing their own process.

“In my last movie, Kieran Culkin was the lead and he was not sleeping at night. That’s his thing. That’s what he does, and he was amazing.”

He praised the stars of The Debut, and said: “They work really hard, but they don’t tell you about it.

“They’re not the kind of people who go on set and tell you how hard they’ve worked, they just come and do a great job and you trust they’re doing whatever they need.”

Julianne Moore and Jesse Eisenberg (Doug Peters/PA)

PA Wire

Moore, who is known for her Oscar-winning role in Still Alice, also spoke to PA about the upcoming film and said why she thought the story was so important.

“She finds community for the first time,” the US actress said.

“She finds a place where she belongs, and she finds it through her own creative journey.

“It’s this wonderful thing to find yourself and find other people – because really that’s where we thrive, in relationship to others.”

The Debut will be released in UK cinemas on January 15, 2027.