Jesse Eisenberg, the actor best known for portraying Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, has openly expressed his desire to distance himself from the billionaire tech chief, stating he's troubled by Zuckerberg's recent actions and the path of his company, Meta. During a recent interview on BBC Radio 4's "Today" program, Eisenberg articulated his concerns about Zuckerberg's decision to eliminate third-party fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram, saying it undermines the safety of users.
Eisenberg, 36, lamented, "I haven’t been following his (Zuckerberg’s) lifetrajectory, partly because I don’t want to think of myself as associated with somebody likethat. It’s not like I played agreat golfer or something, and now people think I’m agreat golfer.” He elaborated by saying, "This guy is doing thingsthat are problematic, taking away fact-checking and safety concerns, making people who are already threatened in this world more threatened.”
On January 7, 2025, Zuckerberg announced the controversial decision to replace the existing fact-checking system with what he called "community notes," which allows users to add their own comments or corrections on posts. This shift follows Zuckerberg's admission of prior biases and mistakes with the fact-checking system, which he described as having become politically charged and excessively censorious. He stated, "What started as amovement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions and shut out people with different ideas.”
Eisenberg has become increasingly vocal against Zuckerberg, reflecting on the wealth accumulation of billionaires like him and their social responsibilities. He noted, "These people have billions upon billions of dollars, like more money than any human person has ever amassed and what are they doing with it? Oh, they’re doing it to curry favor with somebody who’s preaching hate.” This stark criticism positions Zuckerberg not only as the head of Meta but also as part of the problem concerning ethical governance of social media.
Drawing connections to societal justice issues, Eisenberg mentioned his own personal life, stating, "I think of it as somebody who is married to awoman who teaches disability justicein New York and lives for her students who are going to geta little harder this year.” This indicates how he perceives the broader societal ramifications of Zuckerberg's choices and their impact on marginalized communities.
The criticism isn’t merely personal for Eisenberg, who, after receiving acclaim for his portrayal of Zuckerberg in the 2010 film "The Social Network," feels the weight of his role. Despite the acclaim and multiple award nominations, he now seeks to redefine his relationship with the figure he portrayed, wishing to navigate through the muddy waters of public perception.
The actor's anxiety highlights the delicate balance highly visible individuals must maintain when the characters they play intersect with real-life figures who experience scandals and societal backlash. Critics have framed Zuckerberg's recent affiliations and perceived coziness with Donald Trump, especially after attending Trump's inauguration, as highly problematic, sparking dialogues about power dynamics and ethical stewardship among tech moguls.
Among the criticisms was Zuckerberg’s early 2025 meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, which called to mind his pledging of Meta's financial support for Trump’s inaugural fund. To many observers, this was seen as an obvious attempt to curry favor with the politically controversial former president, raising questions about how tech billionaires wield their influence. Eisenberg remarked on the perception of tech leaders aligning themselves with right-leaning political figures, reflecting on how such actions resonate beyond corporate confines.
Having previously expressed discomfort during promotional events of films, Eisenberg maintains his stance of using his platform to advocate for positive change and transparency. He has also expressed his resonance with audiences who are increasingly aware of and affected by online discourse and social media failures.
Currently, Eisenberg is shifting the narrative back to his work as he promotes his new film, "A Real Pain," which he wrote, directed, and starred in, about two cousins honoring their late grandmother—a project aiming to highlight familial and human connections.
Despite his distancing from Zuckerberg, Eisenberg recognizes the role he played as Zuckerberg's cinematic avatar, both boosting and complicity entangled with the narrative of tech leadership. He reflects, "I’m concerned just as aperson who reads anewspaper. I don’t think about, 'Oh, I played the guy inthe movie andtherefore...' It’s just, I’m ahuman being.”
Through his remarks, Eisenberg continues to illuminate the ethical responsibilities of those at the helm of expansive platforms and challenges media portrayals of complex figures like Zuckerberg, carving out space for honest, human reflection beyond the veneer of celebrity association.