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TRIBECA, NEW YORK—Mark Zuckerberg and Roman Roy walk into the Indeed Theater.
Zuckerberg, as expected, began his ramble and “inadvertently” tossed some insults in. Roy ran his hands through his hair, exasperated and gleefully profane.
After a nearly seven-minute long rant, Zuckerberg asks Roy, “Are you aware of your unusual qualities and presence?” Roy sunk into his chair and let out a huge sigh. “Oh my god, this is gonna be a nightmare.”
For diehard fans and aspiring filmmakers, last night’s duo was anything but.
On June 13, Tribeca Festival welcomed Kieran Culkin in conversation with Jesse Eisenberg to chat, banter, and joke about the state of their mental health. With 60 minutes on the clock, Eisenberg and Culkin’s combined word count could’ve easily passed 60,000. Is it their rapier wit or nervously boyish charm that makes them so likable? Maybe it’s their cutting sense of humor. Or it perhaps the Sorkin-esque qualities of their dialogue drawing the audience in? Because if anyone is wondering how much of the performances within The Social Network and Succession are manufactured, rest assured that Eisenberg and Culkin never sacrificed any part of themselves for their characters.
“I wouldn't give advice in general. That's a horrible thing to do.”
Upon opening questions to the audience, a hopeful creative asked Culkin for advice on making it in the industry. Culkin retorted, “I wouldn't give advice in general. That's a horrible thing to do.” Despite their rampant self-deprecation and constant underplaying of their own works, the two shared words that are dripping with passion, dedication, and pure commitment to their art. Having worked in the industry since he was barely conscious of what he was doing, Kieran added that it took time for him to realize his path as an artist and decide if acting was truly what he wanted to pursue.
“I’m not the most articulate f*cker, but I think that made sense.”
Possibly the most verbose pairing in Hollywood, watching this talk was (in Tashi Duncan’s words) like watching some good f*cking tennis. There’s almost tension shared between the two, a chemistry that made it hard to pay attention to anything else. The only thing more noticeable than their rapid-fire repartee is the roars of laughter coming from all sides of the room.
“If you’re in the arts, be in the arts.”
When asked about his writing process, Eisenberg was quick with a response. “I just readjust my anti-depressants,” he quipped. “It gives me back a feeling of nostalgia, like oh there it is!” In truth, Eisenberg admitted that his writing process changes all the time. He embraces the freedom in the unknown and emboldened the audience to just “Wing it.” Eisenberg continued, “If you’re in the arts, be in the arts.” He implored us to not get stuck on “this one script,” waiting for the perfect time, the perfect collaborator, or the perfect moment of genius to strike.
After last night, I’m taking a page out of Eisenberg’s book. With 21 seconds left, Jesse skittishly uttered, “Uh, I don’t know how to wrap things up.”
A Real Pain, Eisenberg and Culkin’s next project, comes out later this year.
Photo Credit: Jonah Breton
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