Jesse Eisenberg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jesse Eisenberg
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Eisenberg in 2024
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Jesse Adam Eisenberg
October 5, 1983 New York City, U.S.
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| Years active | 1996–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Anna Strout
(m. 2017) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Hallie Eisenberg (sister) |
| Awards | Full list |
Jesse Adam Eisenberg (pronounced EYE-zən-burg; born October 5, 1983) is an American actor, filmmaker, and writer. He is known for playing interesting and often quirky characters in movies and TV shows.
Jesse has won many awards, including a BAFTA Award. He has also been nominated for two Academy Awards (also known as the Oscars) and three Golden Globe Awards.
He first appeared on TV in the show Get Real (1999–2000). His first main movie role was in Roger Dodger (2002). Later, he starred in popular films like The Squid and the Whale (2005), Adventureland (2009), and the zombie comedy Zombieland (2009).
Jesse became widely recognized for playing Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in the movie The Social Network (2010). This role earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He also appeared in Woody Allen's films To Rome with Love (2012) and Café Society (2016). You might also know him from the magic heist movies Now You See Me (2013) and its sequel Now You See Me 2 (2016).
He played the famous villain Lex Luthor in the superhero movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Jesse also lent his voice to the main character, Blu, in the animated films Rio (2011) and Rio 2 (2014).
In 2022, Jesse starred in the TV miniseries Fleishman Is in Trouble. That same year, he made his debut as a film director with the movie When You Finish Saving the World. He has since directed, written, and starred in A Real Pain (2024). This film won him a BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay and earned him nominations at the Golden Globes and Academy Awards.
Besides acting, Jesse Eisenberg writes for websites like The New Yorker. He has also written and acted in three plays for the New York stage. In 2015, he released his first book, a collection of short stories called Bream Gives Me Hiccups: and Other Stories.
Jesse Eisenberg's Early Life
Jesse Adam Eisenberg was born in Astoria, Queens, a part of New York City. He grew up in East Brunswick, New Jersey.
Family and Background
Jesse's mother, Amy, used to be a clown and a director for a high school theater. Now, she teaches about different cultures in hospitals. His father, Barry, worked as a taxi driver, then at a hospital, and later became a college professor teaching sociology.
Jesse has two sisters. His sister Hallie Eisenberg was a child actress, famous as the "Pepsi Girl" in commercials. His other sister, Kerri Eisenberg (now Kerry Lea), was also an actress. She ran a children's theater group that focused on vegetarianism and animal rights. Now, she is an independent artist.
Jesse grew up in a secular Jewish family. His family history goes back to Poland and Ukraine. In 2024, Jesse even became a citizen of Poland, hoping to build better relationships between Jewish and Polish people.
School Days
Jesse went to public schools in East Brunswick, New Jersey, for most of his childhood. For his senior year of high school, he moved to the Professional Performing Arts School in New York City.
While in high school, he got his big break in the independent movie Roger Dodger. Because of this movie, he couldn't go to New York University. Instead, he studied at The New School in New York City, focusing on liberal arts, democracy, and different cultures.
Discovering Acting
Jesse found it hard to fit in at school because he had an anxiety disorder. He started acting in plays when he was very young. At age seven, he played Oliver Twist in a children's theater show. By 12, he was an understudy (meaning he learned the role in case the main actor couldn't perform) in a Broadway play called Summer and Smoke. At 13, he was an understudy for Young Scrooge in a musical version of A Christmas Carol.
His first professional acting job was at age 16 in an off-Broadway play called The Gathering. Jesse said that when he was playing a role, he felt more comfortable because he was given a clear way to behave.
Early Writing
Jesse started writing screenplays when he was 16. Some of his scripts were even bought by big movie studios. However, he felt unhappy because he didn't have much control over his stories once they were sold.
Once, as a teenager, he wrote a play about how director Woody Allen changed his name. He managed to get the script to Allen's team, but instead of praise, he received two legal letters telling him to stop. Years later, Jesse would star in two movies directed by Woody Allen: To Rome with Love and Café Society.
Jesse Eisenberg's Career
Early Acting Roles (1999–2008)
Jesse's first TV appearance was in the series Get Real from 1999 to 2000. After a TV movie, he starred in the independent film Roger Dodger (2002), which earned him an award for Most Promising New Actor. He also appeared in The Emperor's Club (2002).
In 2005, Jesse was in the horror film Cursed and the drama The Squid and the Whale. In 2007, he acted alongside Richard Gere in The Hunting Party, where he played an American journalist. He also filmed Holy Rollers with his sister, Hallie, in 2008.
In 2009, Jesse played the main role in Adventureland, a comedy filmed at Kennywood Park. This movie was his first collaboration with actress Kristen Stewart. He also had roles in the independent films Solitary Man and the horror film Camp Hell.
Becoming a Star (2009–2011)
Jesse's first big hit at the box office was the horror-comedy Zombieland (2009). He starred with Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as a group of people trying to survive in a world full of zombies. The movie was a surprise success.
In 2010, he played Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg in the movie The Social Network. This role brought him a lot of attention and awards. He won the Best Actor Award from the National Board of Review and was nominated for Best Actor at the BAFTA Awards, Golden Globes, and Academy Awards. The director, David Fincher, knew Jesse was perfect for the role after seeing his audition.
On January 29, 2011, Jesse hosted Saturday Night Live, a famous comedy show. During his opening, Mark Zuckerberg himself appeared! Jesse said meeting the real Zuckerberg was "an overwhelming experience."
In 2011, Jesse voiced the main character, Blu, a blue macaw who learns to fly, in the animated hit movie Rio. He acted alongside Anne Hathaway, who was also his co-star in Get Real. He also sang a song in the movie's soundtrack. That same year, he starred in the comedy 30 Minutes or Less, playing a pizza delivery man forced to rob a bank.
In October 2011, Jesse's first play, Asuncion, was performed off-Broadway in New York. Jesse also acted in the play.
Writing and Acting (2012–2019)
In 2012, Jesse starred in Why Stop Now and the romantic comedy To Rome with Love, directed by Woody Allen.
In 2013, Jesse worked again with Woody Harrelson in the magician heist movie Now You See Me. He also said he planned to keep writing for both plays and movies, as well as acting. His second play, The Revisionist, debuted that year. He also starred in the drama The Double.
In the following years, Jesse returned as Blu in Rio 2 (2014). He also reunited with Kristen Stewart in the action comedy American Ultra (2015), where he played a secret agent.
In 2015, Jesse played journalist David Lipsky in the movie The End of the Tour. His third play, The Spoils, premiered off-Broadway. Jesse also acted in this play. On September 8, 2015, he released his first book, Bream Gives Me Hiccups, which is a collection of funny short stories.
Jesse also works with Playing On Air, a public radio show that produces plays for online audiences. He wrote and starred in one short play for them.
Jesse played the supervillain Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which came out in March 2016. His performance received some criticism, and he later won a less positive award, the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor. Jesse explained that he tried to make the character feel real and interesting. He later felt that this role was not good for his career because of the negative reactions.
Jesse then reunited with Woody Allen and Kristen Stewart for the third time in Café Society (2016). He also returned as street magician J. Daniel "Danny" Atlas in Now You See Me 2 (2016). This movie made over $267 million worldwide, and the studio announced plans for Now You See Me 3. In June 2016, Jesse's play The Spoils began playing in London's West End.
Jesse also appeared as Lex Luthor in the 2017 film Justice League. He joined the dark comedy The Art of Self-Defense (2019).
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In 2018, Jesse starred in the tech drama The Hummingbird Project. He also produced a documentary called The World Before Your Feet, which is about a man who walked over 9,000 miles on the streets of New York City. The documentary received excellent reviews.
In 2019, Jesse starred in the sequel Zombieland: Double Tap. His new play, Happy Talk, also premiered in 2019.
Expanding His Career (2020–present)
In 2020, Jesse played the famous mime Marcel Marceau in the film Resistance. This movie focused on Marceau's role in the French resistance during World War II. He also appeared as Lex Luthor again in Zack Snyder's Justice League.
Jesse starred as Toby Fleishman in the TV series Fleishman is in Trouble, which premiered in November 2022.
Jesse made his debut as a film director with When You Finish Saving the World. The movie stars Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfhard and was produced by his Zombieland co-star, Emma Stone. The film premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and was released in cinemas in January 2023. That same year, he also appeared as the main character, Ralphie, in the film Manodrome, receiving good reviews for his acting.
In 2024, he directed, wrote, and starred in the comedy-drama A Real Pain. This film premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and received positive reviews. It earned him two Golden Globe nominations and an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Jesse Eisenberg's Personal Life
Jesse Eisenberg dated Anna Strout from 2002 to 2012. They met on the set of The Emperor's Club. He then dated actress Mia Wasikowska from 2013 to 2015. Later, he got back together with Anna Strout, and they married in 2017. Their son, Banner, was born in April 2017.
They live in both Bloomington, Indiana (where he moved to help his mother-in-law) and New York City. Jesse has played the drums since he was eight years old.
In 2007, Jesse started an online word game website with his cousin called OneUpMe. Even though he played Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Jesse does not use social media himself. He said in 2016 that he is "terrified of that stuff." He only signed onto Facebook for about 20 seconds to prepare for his role as Zuckerberg.
Jesse is very involved with the city of Bloomington, Indiana. He supports Indiana University Bloomington and has donated a lot of money to Middle Way House, a shelter for people experiencing domestic violence. He is also a fan of the Indiana Pacers basketball team.
Jesse has Polish-Jewish family roots. His family lived in Poland until World War II. In May 2024, he applied for Polish citizenship, saying he wanted to help create better relationships between Jewish and Polish people. His application was approved later that year.
Charity Work and Other Interests
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Jesse Eisenberg has worked with the Child Mind Institute for their #MyYoungerSelf project. In a video, he talked about growing up with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) and anxiety to help others.
Jesse loves cats and has helped by fostering animals. He has also been involved with Farm Sanctuary, an organization that helps farm animals. In 2015, he said he was "like 95% vegetarian."
In September 2015, Jesse announced that he would match donations made to Middle Way House, a domestic violence shelter in Bloomington, Indiana, up to $100,000. All the money went towards the organization's mortgage. In 2018, Jesse stated that he had helped raise almost $1 million for the shelter.
Jesse is also a cast member with Theater of War, a non-profit group that performs ancient Greek plays for military and civilian communities. He said this work allows him to do something with more meaning than just entertainment.
He also works with Voices of a People's History of the United States. This organization uses public readings of historical documents to encourage people to get involved in their communities and learn about history.
In September 2016, Jesse, along with other famous actors like Cate Blanchett and Keira Knightley, appeared in a video for the UNHCR (the UN's refugee agency). The video, called "What They Took With Them," aimed to raise awareness about the global refugee crisis.
Jesse also participated in "The 24 Hour Musicals" event in 2017, where he composed music and co-wrote a musical. The money raised went to a fund that supports freedom of expression for playwrights. He has also performed in similar events to support the Urban Arts Partnership, which helps public education.
In June 2017, Jesse performed at The People's Summit, a conference for activists, as part of a show called "The People Speak."
Acting Credits and Awards
According to the website Rotten Tomatoes, some of Jesse Eisenberg's most praised films include Roger Dodger (2002), The Squid and the Whale (2005), Adventureland (2009), Zombieland (2009), The Social Network (2010), The End of the Tour (2015), and A Real Pain (2024).
Jesse Eisenberg has been recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Oscars) for:
- 83rd Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Actor for The Social Network (2010)
- 97th Academy Awards: Nominated for Best Original Screenplay for A Real Pain (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Jesse Eisenberg para niños
