Listen Ad-free

Jesse Eisenberg Steps Into His Past

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

Nov 24 2024 • 1 hr 2 mins

Actor, writer, and director Jesse Eisenberg’s latest project, A Real Pain, is perhaps his most personal to date.

He joins us today to unpack the journey that shaped the film(9:18), memories from his travels to Poland (15:40), and what he observed about his family growing up in East Brunswick (22:23). Then, Eisenberg reflects on his first jokes written on post-it notes (29:20), his breakthrough acting roles in Roger Dodger (31:35) and The Squid and the Whale (34:37), and formative visits to his aunt Doris in New York City (35:32).

On the back-half, we talk about his transformation in The Social Network (41:15), the erotic dream that inspired his play The Spoils (42:48), the real anxiety he explored while writing A Real Pain (46:39), lessons on directing from Richard Ayoade and Greg Mottola (51:14), and why he cares so deeply about his art (1:00:10).

Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at sf@talkeasypod.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You Might Like

Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should Know
iHeartPodcasts
This American Life
This American Life
This American Life
Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan
Wartime Stories
Wartime Stories
Ballen Studios
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein Show
New York Times Opinion
Criminal
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network
So Supernatural
So Supernatural
audiochuck | Crime House
The Why Files: Operation Podcast
The Why Files: Operation Podcast
The Why Files: Operation Podcast
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
We Can Do Hard Things
We Can Do Hard Things
Glennon Doyle and Audacy