November 21, 2023 • 6 mins
Jesse Eisenberg talks new movie, holidays and more!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
On with Mario Lopez Zebral. Mario Lopez joining me now
on Zoom Austar nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg. Welcome to the
show Man.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
How you been great and thank you so much for
speaking with me today.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Mary, Oh my pleasure. Thank you for taking the time.
Congrats on the new movie Manodrome. Great title. Looks looks
pretty intense. How would you describe it?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Yeah, it's this unbelievably intense fever dream of a movie
about this guy you I play, who's about type of
baby just lost his job working in a factory, is
starting to kind of question his identity, his masculinity. He's
like a he's a gym guy. He's in the gym
all day every day and just has kind of like
this psychological break from reality and joins a male cult.
(00:43):
So it's just kind of very intense, scary, sad, emotional,
but really thrilling, entertaining kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Oh, it sounds like such a cool premis. I'm always
fascinated by Colt. You mentioned he's a gym guy. Did
did you have to bulk up it all for this role?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
And I spent like over a year and a half
because like going to the gym every day, partly because
I am, you know, unlike you. It's not built that way.
Or maybe you're not built that way either, and you
just work at it, but like, uh, you know. But
also because the movie kept getting like pushed back. It's
like an independent movie, so like the schedules kept changing.
(01:20):
I'd be like working out for like six months every day.
I feel like I'm in a good place, and then
they call and say, actually, the movie is not happening
for another six months.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
I'm like, okay, I can either stop.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
And immediately shrivel down to my you know, birth weight again,
or I can maintain this like holding pattern of a
thing by eating every day and still going to the gym.
So it was just this long drawn out process which
is like not exactly natural for me.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Good for you though. That's a lot of hard work
right there. Great cast. The movie also stars Adrian Brody.
What type of vibe does does he bring to the set?
Is this first time you guys have worked together?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
No, Actually we were in a movie called The Village
by m Night Shyamalan in two thousand and two, but
I played a character, Oh you would have no recollection
and including my grandma who had no recollection. I remember,
and I do remember that one we actually Oh so
I played a character called boy on Stump because I
stood on a stump and had a line. And my
grandma saw the movie and she said, I think I
(02:12):
saw the wrong movie because you weren't in it. And
I said, Grandma, you're blind in one eye. You probably
just didn't see it. She's like, no, no, no, I suck perfectly.
I just didn't see you in it. So I had
a very small part. So then to get to play
across Adrian Brody in this movie with like a very
good part was thrilling, you know, because I was on
set with him every day in that other movie, and
you know, got to see how great he is. He
has like this very charismatic, kind of mysterious, alluring presence
(02:36):
and in the movie and managerim that is like, you know,
he runs this kind of like male cult, which is
like alluring and scary and appealing, and for somebody like
my character who's like going through this you know, identity
crisis and vulnerable time, it's like a perfect and also
awful person to meet.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Great casting, I can see him being a cult leader. Yeah,
I mean that as a compact. Wait, you directed your
first movie earlier this year? How did How was he experience?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
It was great?
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I mean, you know, I was working with these two
wonderful actors, Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfard. They're too like,
you know, just brilliant actors of different generation styles of course,
and it was just the most fortunate thing I can
have as a director. I wrote the script based on
like a book I'd written for Audible, So I lived
with these characters for like a few years and getting
to like, you know, present them on screen was thrilling,
(03:28):
and I'd love to keep doing it.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
That's awesome. What a great cast for your first film,
right there. That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Very strange, very strange.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, it's almost like not a good thing because then
you expect everything afterwards.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
He is great.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
The bar is set hi. Now you have a son, correct, Jesse?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:43):
How old is he now?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yeah? My kid's about to turn like seven in like
a week.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Actually, nice, man, Nice, it's fun. I got a couple
of boys myself. What's he into?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Uh? It's strange.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
He's like into performing, but not in a way that
I was. So I was like a very shy kid
who then became a performer, and my kid's the exact opposite.
He's like not a shy person who likes performing, and
so it's interesting. So I just like I'm seeing like
a kid that in some ways would have like intimidated
me because they're very like outgoing, extroverted, which I was not.
And so it's kind of a relief to see that
(04:18):
because I'm like, oh, yeah, he's going to have these
qualities that I would have wanted as a kid. And
how beautiful it is to see like your kid feel
comfortable with something that made you nervous when you were young.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, that's super cool. You grew up in Jersey, correct?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Are you? Are you going back there for the holidays
or you live in la or are you an East
Coast guy?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
I live in New York.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
My parents still live in Jersey where I grew up
in Central Jersey, and my wife is from Indiana, So
we spend like, you know, well, I mean during the pandemic,
we were living in Indiana. Even before the pandemic, we
were living on and off in Indiana to help out
with some family stuff, and so you know, I lived
between like really the Midwest and very East Coast and
my parents are in Jersey in a town that I
(04:59):
thought about every day while making Manager Room because it
was like, you know, kind of a jockey kind of town,
and like, you know, then this movie, I'm playing this
guy who is like basically trying to be like a
stronger guy. And so anyway, I visit them less sporadically
or more sporadically than they would love.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
That's a nice little balance though, with Indiana and New York.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
And last question, I was trying to look for you
on social media, but I don't believe you're on social media, correct.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Yeah, And I feel like maybe I was ahead of
the game because now it's like, you know, people are
constantly saying things they immediately regret, and I know if
I was on for a day, I would just immediately
regret every single thing I said and have to make
you know, ten public apologies the next day.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
That that's the irony. It should be about open dialogue
on or a healthy dialogue where you exchange a freedom
of thought. But for some reason it turns into echo chambers.
And you're exactly right.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
So god, mob mentality.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
This would kill me because I like really don't have
much of a filter, and so I I want you
to get.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
On social media. No, I said, now I want you
to get on social media exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
You know, I'm sure, I'm sure I thrill and infuriate people,
but like I just thank my lucky stars every day
that like I was, like, I didn't join because I
just know my personality would be the exact worst kind
of thing I've already had to make, like do like
some public apologies for just misstating something or saying something accidentally,
or saying a joke in an interview, and I literally
(06:22):
did meant the opposite of the joke. I was trying
to kind of put myself down, but instead it made
me look like I was making an arrogant statement. I'm
so embarrassed, And like, just having gone through those little
experiences made me think, like I never want to touch
this at all.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I'm terrified.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
It's actually very smart and Jesse, I feel you and
I've been there, so I get you.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
If I know, I feel for you too, I know,
I know, I know.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Congratulations on the film, on both the films. I look
forward to the other one too. You can watch Managrome
in theaters now. Thanks so much, for taking the time.
Hopefully you see in person soon.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
It's always great to speak to you, Mario, Thank you
so much.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
All Right, buddy, you too, take care. WOW with Mario
Lopez
On with Mario Lopez Zebral. Mario Lopez joining me now
on Zoom Austar nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg. Welcome to the
show Man.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
How you been great and thank you so much for
speaking with me today.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Mary, Oh my pleasure. Thank you for taking the time.
Congrats on the new movie Manodrome. Great title. Looks looks
pretty intense. How would you describe it?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Yeah, it's this unbelievably intense fever dream of a movie
about this guy you I play, who's about type of
baby just lost his job working in a factory, is
starting to kind of question his identity, his masculinity. He's
like a he's a gym guy. He's in the gym
all day every day and just has kind of like
this psychological break from reality and joins a male cult.
(00:43):
So it's just kind of very intense, scary, sad, emotional,
but really thrilling, entertaining kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Oh, it sounds like such a cool premis. I'm always
fascinated by Colt. You mentioned he's a gym guy. Did
did you have to bulk up it all for this role?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
And I spent like over a year and a half
because like going to the gym every day, partly because
I am, you know, unlike you. It's not built that way.
Or maybe you're not built that way either, and you
just work at it, but like, uh, you know. But
also because the movie kept getting like pushed back. It's
like an independent movie, so like the schedules kept changing.
(01:20):
I'd be like working out for like six months every day.
I feel like I'm in a good place, and then
they call and say, actually, the movie is not happening
for another six months.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
I'm like, okay, I can either stop.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
And immediately shrivel down to my you know, birth weight again,
or I can maintain this like holding pattern of a
thing by eating every day and still going to the gym.
So it was just this long drawn out process which
is like not exactly natural for me.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Good for you though. That's a lot of hard work
right there. Great cast. The movie also stars Adrian Brody.
What type of vibe does does he bring to the set?
Is this first time you guys have worked together?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
No, Actually we were in a movie called The Village
by m Night Shyamalan in two thousand and two, but
I played a character, Oh you would have no recollection
and including my grandma who had no recollection. I remember,
and I do remember that one we actually Oh so
I played a character called boy on Stump because I
stood on a stump and had a line. And my
grandma saw the movie and she said, I think I
(02:12):
saw the wrong movie because you weren't in it. And
I said, Grandma, you're blind in one eye. You probably
just didn't see it. She's like, no, no, no, I suck perfectly.
I just didn't see you in it. So I had
a very small part. So then to get to play
across Adrian Brody in this movie with like a very
good part was thrilling, you know, because I was on
set with him every day in that other movie, and
you know, got to see how great he is. He
has like this very charismatic, kind of mysterious, alluring presence
(02:36):
and in the movie and managerim that is like, you know,
he runs this kind of like male cult, which is
like alluring and scary and appealing, and for somebody like
my character who's like going through this you know, identity
crisis and vulnerable time, it's like a perfect and also
awful person to meet.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Great casting, I can see him being a cult leader. Yeah,
I mean that as a compact. Wait, you directed your
first movie earlier this year? How did How was he experience?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
It was great?
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I mean, you know, I was working with these two
wonderful actors, Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfard. They're too like,
you know, just brilliant actors of different generation styles of course,
and it was just the most fortunate thing I can
have as a director. I wrote the script based on
like a book I'd written for Audible, So I lived
with these characters for like a few years and getting
to like, you know, present them on screen was thrilling,
(03:28):
and I'd love to keep doing it.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
That's awesome. What a great cast for your first film,
right there. That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Very strange, very strange.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, it's almost like not a good thing because then
you expect everything afterwards.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
He is great.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
The bar is set hi. Now you have a son, correct, Jesse?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:43):
How old is he now?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yeah? My kid's about to turn like seven in like
a week.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Actually, nice, man, Nice, it's fun. I got a couple
of boys myself. What's he into?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Uh? It's strange.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
He's like into performing, but not in a way that
I was. So I was like a very shy kid
who then became a performer, and my kid's the exact opposite.
He's like not a shy person who likes performing, and
so it's interesting. So I just like I'm seeing like
a kid that in some ways would have like intimidated
me because they're very like outgoing, extroverted, which I was not.
And so it's kind of a relief to see that
(04:18):
because I'm like, oh, yeah, he's going to have these
qualities that I would have wanted as a kid. And
how beautiful it is to see like your kid feel
comfortable with something that made you nervous when you were young.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, that's super cool. You grew up in Jersey, correct?
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Are you? Are you going back there for the holidays
or you live in la or are you an East
Coast guy?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
I live in New York.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
My parents still live in Jersey where I grew up
in Central Jersey, and my wife is from Indiana, So
we spend like, you know, well, I mean during the pandemic,
we were living in Indiana. Even before the pandemic, we
were living on and off in Indiana to help out
with some family stuff, and so you know, I lived
between like really the Midwest and very East Coast and
my parents are in Jersey in a town that I
(04:59):
thought about every day while making Manager Room because it
was like, you know, kind of a jockey kind of town,
and like, you know, then this movie, I'm playing this
guy who is like basically trying to be like a
stronger guy. And so anyway, I visit them less sporadically
or more sporadically than they would love.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
That's a nice little balance though, with Indiana and New York.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
And last question, I was trying to look for you
on social media, but I don't believe you're on social media, correct.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Yeah, And I feel like maybe I was ahead of
the game because now it's like, you know, people are
constantly saying things they immediately regret, and I know if
I was on for a day, I would just immediately
regret every single thing I said and have to make
you know, ten public apologies the next day.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
That that's the irony. It should be about open dialogue
on or a healthy dialogue where you exchange a freedom
of thought. But for some reason it turns into echo chambers.
And you're exactly right.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
So god, mob mentality.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
This would kill me because I like really don't have
much of a filter, and so I I want you
to get.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
On social media. No, I said, now I want you
to get on social media exactly.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
You know, I'm sure, I'm sure I thrill and infuriate people,
but like I just thank my lucky stars every day
that like I was, like, I didn't join because I
just know my personality would be the exact worst kind
of thing I've already had to make, like do like
some public apologies for just misstating something or saying something accidentally,
or saying a joke in an interview, and I literally
(06:22):
did meant the opposite of the joke. I was trying
to kind of put myself down, but instead it made
me look like I was making an arrogant statement. I'm
so embarrassed, And like, just having gone through those little
experiences made me think, like I never want to touch
this at all.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I'm terrified.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
It's actually very smart and Jesse, I feel you and
I've been there, so I get you.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
If I know, I feel for you too, I know,
I know, I know.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Congratulations on the film, on both the films. I look
forward to the other one too. You can watch Managrome
in theaters now. Thanks so much, for taking the time.
Hopefully you see in person soon.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
It's always great to speak to you, Mario, Thank you
so much.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
All Right, buddy, you too, take care. WOW with Mario
Lopez
Host
Mario Lopez
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.