Social Network Star Jesse Eisenberg Explains Why He'll No Longer Defend Mark Zuckerberg

LOADINGERROR LOADINGFifteen years after portraying Mark Zuckerberg in “The Social Network,” actor Jesse Eisenberg is sharing some candid thoughts on the Meta CEO’s latest actions.Appearing on NPR’s “Fresh Air” program Tuesday, Eisenberg said he felt saddened by Zuckerberg’s decision to scrap the fact-checking system on Meta’s platforms, which include Facebook and Instagram.

Advertisement “As an actor, your job is to really understand your character, even if the character is a villain in a movie.Your job is to defend your character, right?” he explained.

“And so I spent a lot of time thinking about this guy and thinking about how he felt outcast in the world and created this thing in order to connect with other people because he felt uncomfortable connecting with other people through more traditional social norms.”Though Eisenberg viewed Zuckerberg’s ambition as “wonderful and totally defensible” while filming “The Social Network,” he suggested the Meta CEO’s drive now “supersedes [his] caution in a way that can be pretty dangerous.” “And now that the platform is so powerful and owns all these other things, I guess I feel a little bit sad.Why is this the path you’re taking?” he said, before hinting he would no longer “justify and defend [Zuckerberg’s] behavior.” Advertisement Mark Zuckerberg and Jesse Eisenberg on "Saturday Night Live" in 2011.NBC via Getty ImagesReleased in 2010, “The Social Network” is an adaptation of Ben Mezrich’s book “The Accidental Billionaires,” and follows Zuckerberg’s rise from Harvard University student to becoming the world’s youngest self-made billionaire after launching Facebook.

The movie, which also stars Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake, was a critical and commercial smash, winning three Oscars.Though Zuckerberg wasn’t involved in the making of “The Social Network” and would later criticize the film, he appeared to be on friendly terms with Eis...