Los Angeles:Actor Jesse Eisenberg, known for essaying the role of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in 2010's "The Social Network", says he doesn't want to be associated with the character and is moving in different directions in life.
The film was directed by David Fincher and chronicled the founding of Facebook in 2003 by Harvard student Zuckerberg, tracking his meteoric rise from a college dorm room to a global phenomenon, alongside the ensuing legal battles, betrayals, and strained friendships.
Eisenberg rose to global superstardom and was even nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actor category for his performance in the film. The makers are working on another film, but Eisenberg has turned down the offer to reprise the role of Zuckerberg.
The film is directed by Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the screenplay for "The Social Network", which grossed over $200 million at the global box office. It also starred Justin Timberlake and Armie Hammer, among others.
"It is an honour to speak to Aaron in any capacity, because he’s so articulate and charming and so bright... We talked about doing the movie for several days. The way Aaron speaks, he speaks so wonderfully, as he writes that, in a way, if you’re not going to do something with him, it feels almost like you’re letting down America," the actor told to entertainment news outlet Variety told Variety at the premiere of “Minions & Monsters".
"I just told him I’m moving in different directions in my life, and you know, what he said sums it up nicely. I don’t want to be associated with that character, but all of my reasons for not wanting to do the movie have nothing to do with how wonderful the movie is, and will be, and I’m sure is already," he added.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Sorkin recalled approaching the actor for the role, but he rejected it. "I felt like it belonged to him, and he was certainly battle-tested," Sorkin said.
"He simply did not want to be conflated with Mark Zuckerberg anymore, that he has his problems with the guy. He doesn’t like kids coming up to him in airports with business cards that say ‘I’m CEO, bitch’ for him to sign," he added.