Jesse Eisenberg is opening up about his connection to Mark Zuckerberg, years after portraying the Meta founder in The Social Network.
During an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Today show, Eisenberg shared that he doesn’t take pride in being associated with Zuckerberg, especially given the tech mogul’s recent decisions. He specifically criticized Meta’s move to replace its fact-checking systems, arguing that such actions put marginalized communities at greater risk.
In a separate interview, Eisenberg admitted that he has deliberately distanced himself from following the company’s trajectory. He explained that he doesn’t want to be linked to Zuckerberg, stating, “It’s not like I played a great golfer and now people think I’m a great golfer.” Instead, he emphasized that he portrayed someone making decisions he finds deeply concerning—such as removing fact-checking, which he believes compromises safety and makes vulnerable individuals feel even more threatened.
Zuckerberg’s approach has drawn comparisons to Elon Musk’s handling of X, particularly after Donald Trump’s presidential win. Meta previously donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, and Zuckerberg was present at the inauguration ceremony on January 20.
As for Eisenberg, he recently starred in and directed A Real Pain, a film that has received strong reviews at festivals. The movie, which also features Kieran Culkin, Jennifer Grey, Will Sharpe, and Ellora Torchia, follows two mismatched cousins exploring their family’s history in Poland. It is now available to stream on Prime Video.