Three Things I Like About Jesse Eisenberg

1. He is a good actor who tends to pick projects I enjoy watching.

2. He fosters cats. If you can't watch the whole interview, the summary is Conan O'Brien asking him if his "life has changed considerably since Social Network came out," to which Eisenberg replies, "Well, I've got more cats," and then goes on to explain: "Well, you know, I'm a foster parent for cats, and, um, um, the more movies I do, the more guilty I feel, and, um, the more cats I feel the need to get to alleviate the guilt from doing the movies, and then if a movie is, god forbid, popular, then I have to get even more cats… I have two now BUT I'm on kind of a list where they can deliver them to the house, so it's two at the moment. … And, if you haven't been to New York, the apartments are tiny, and so, to be a foster parent for cats is basically to have, like, you know, tenants coming in and out, like, if you live in a house, it'd be like the equivalent of having, like, a lot of people coming and staying over, uh, because my apartment's so small. So, I have a lot of cats, a lot of cat food, a lot of litter, and, um, nothing else in the apartment. … My life is basically just, you know, feeding and cleaning cats. And then I get to be the Sexiest Geek Alive."

3. He does not like rape jokes:

LMD: When a comedy [like 30 Minutes or Less, Eisenberg's new film] is this raunchy, is there such a thing as going too far?

JE: There is stuff in this movie that I'm uncomfortable with. I don't like to use the "R" word, for example. Rape, for example. I'm very uncomfortable with that word, personally, because I do work with domestic violence organizations and I'm very aware of the alarming statistics of women who are abused. So I'm very uncomfortable with that. I'm not uncomfortable with the sexual jokes. Sometimes I think they're less funny than others, I don't care about that, because it doesn't harm anybody. I'm uncomfortable with saying "rape," I don't like saying that, I never say it in my life. If somebody says it, I cringe. I don't like it when people make jokes about that word.

Eisenberg is, in addition to being an actor, a writer. It would be swell if he started writing some of his own material, sans rape jokes, because I suspect there's some significant bit of crossover between survivors and people who appreciate self-deprecating, slightly neurotic, highly intelligent actors who dig cats.

[H/T to @fakeplasticstar.]

Melanie Laurent will co-star with Jesse Eisenberg in an upcoming thriller?

Via The Playlist:

We definitely have a soft spot for Louis Leterrier, as far as action-led helmers go. Undeniably talented, he’s more than proved his action chops on the first two “Transporter” films, and pulled off a solid superhero flick on “The Incredible Hulk.” Unfortunately, his last film, “Clash of the Titans,” while a big hit, suffered from shoddy 3D and was probably a script that shouldn’t have gone before cameras in the first place.

While the currently-filming sequel was given to other hands, Leterrier hasn’t been bowed, and his next film is shaping up to be his most promising to date by far. The French director is gearing up to direct “Now You See Me,” a heist thriller about the face-off between an FBI team and a group of world-famous illusionists who pull heists during their act, and an impressive set of names were said to be circling the project, including Jesse Eisenberg, Jake Gyllenhaal, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Olivia Wilde. There’s good news and bad news today, with some of the previous names being locked in, while at least one has moved on to new pastures.

Variety reports that “Inglourious Basterds” star Melanie Laurent, last seen being typically luminous in Mike Mills’ wonderful “Beginners,” is in firm negotations to play the female lead in the film, which, after her terrific turn in Tarantino’s film, can only be a good thing. Laurent will join the increasingly, and deservingly, busy Eisenberg, who’s now locked in to the project, but the trade reports that Gyllenhaal has passed. There’s no word on whether Hoffman and Wilde are still involved—neither have taken other projects recently, so it’s possible they’re still in talks.

Still, Eisenberg and Laurent alone would have our interest: both are relatively picky in their roles, which suggests that the script, by Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt, is strong. “Star Trek” writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are producing, and Summit will release the film. There’s no exact word on when filming will start, but it’ll presumably come some time after Eisenberg wraps Woody Allen‘s currently-filming “Bop Decameron,” so perhaps we’ll see it in theaters in late 2012 or early 2013.

-Joey's Two Cents: I love the pairing...thoughts?

Jessie Eisenberg signs on to another heist movie?

The Hollywood Reporter has the details on what the talented young actor is doing with his new-found clout in the business:


Casting for Summit’s magic heist movie is heating up, with Jesse Eisenberg of Social Network fame in early talks to star in Now You See Me, Summit's heist movie being produced by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Louis Leterrier is directing.

Jake Gyllenhaal, who just starred in the Summit techno-thriller The Source Code, is being courted for another lead role.

See Me, per Summit, pits a crack FBI squad in a game of cat and mouse against a super-team of the world's greatest illusionists, who pull off a series of bank heists during their performances, showering the profits on their audiences while staying one step ahead of the law.

-Joey's Two Cents: Eisenberg is going in an interesting direction post-The Social Network, and I dig it...thoughts?

Could Jesse Eisenberg be reuniting with Noah Baumbach?

Perhaps, according to /Film:

Zombieland and The Social Network minted Jesse Eisenberg as a new star, but Noah Baumbach was an early booster as he cast the young actor in The Squid and the Whale. That, along with Roger Dodger, was what really put the young actor on the map, positioning him for his current success. And now there is evidently a possible reunion brewing for the director and actor. Noah Baumbach is preparing While We’re Young, and is reportedly talking to Jesse Eisenberg for one role and Naomi Watts for another.

The LA Times reports the chance of a reunion with a good deal of caution: no one that told the paper about the brewing reunion is willing to speak on the record, and nothing is final at this point.

What is the film about? The LAT says, “a 40-ish childless couple that begins feeling alienated from their friends as those friends begin to procreate. They in turn befriend a younger couple that in turn helps convince the older pair to loosen up.”

So Jesse Eisenberg would be half of the younger couple, and Naomi Watts would be half of the older. Ben Stiller is set to play her husband/boyfriend. Back when he was lined up, it looked like James Franco would play the guy in the younger couple, Greta Gerwig his partner and Cate Blanchett would have the role that may now go to Naomi Watts. But they all dropped out, leading to the new cast options.

Jesse Eisenberg first has to shoot Woody Allen’s new movie, Bop Decameron, so this one would have to shoot in the fall if it wants him.

-Joey's Two Cents: I'd very much like to see this reunion take place...thoughts?

Woody Allen casts Jesse Eisenberg and Ellen Page in his next film...

...along with teaming up again with Penelope Cruz (plus Alec Baldwin, which we already reported on a few days ago), according to The Hollywood Reporter:

For his next film, which he will shoot in Rome, Woody Allen is starting to assemble one of his typically eclectic casts that will include Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Penelope Cruz and Alec Baldwin. In addition to writing and directing, Allen also plans to appear in the film.

As is typical of Allen's projects, he hasn't yet revealed a title or a plotline for the movie that will film this summer in the Italian capital.

Eisenberg, repped by ICM, voices the lead character in the animated Rio, opening this weekend. Page, repped by WME, is currently appearing on screen in Super. Baldwin, repped by CAA, will be busy during his 30 Rock hiatus, since he's also set for the musical Rock of Ages. All three will be making their first appearance in an Allen feature.

Cruz, repped by CAA, appeared in Allen's 2008 film Vicky Cristina Barcelona, for which she won the best supporting actress Oscar.

Midnight in Paris, Allen's latest film, will bow as the opening-night film at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

-Joey's Two Cents: Another Woody film with a phenomenal cast shaping up...thoughts?