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Jeremy Strong takes on the role of controversial tech titan and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in “The Social Reckoning,” the upcoming ‘spiritual sequel’ to writer Aaron Sorkin’s “The Social Network”.
Jesse Eisenberg, who played Zuckerberg in the original David Fincher-directed film, turned down returning for the role here. As a result, “Succession” star Strong took on the part with Sorkin directing the story.
Participating in a new feature piece for GQ, Strong spoke for the first time about taking on the role and how it was a challenge to take on a very living, breathing figure who may not be flattered by their portrayal:
“It’s the kind of role that fascinates me. It’s like Sebastian [Stan] playing Trump. You are wearing the cape. It’s like Jeremy [Allen White] playing Bruce [Springsteen]. It’s like, the perils of that could not be greater.
To commit to it, and to be free within it, is a great challenge… Listen, I know that he is a reviled person and not a popular person in our culture, but I do not think you should have an actor playing him who wants to set out to condemn him.”
Strong also revealed that he reached out to Zuckerberg after accepting the role and surprisingly the Facebook CEO wrote back, but Strong would not reveal what he said:
“I wrote to him – I’m probably going to give Sony an aneurysm – I sent him an email. Just to say that I take this responsibility very seriously, and the veracity of it seriously, and I’m approaching it with respect.”
The outlet indicated Strong absorbed every piece of public material he could on Zuckerberg to get down not just his mannerisms and affectations, but also to understand the evolution of the man between the events of the two films and how he became what’s dubbed a “wartime CEO”.
The first trailer released in June to a polarizing response – some saying Strong could be up for an Oscar, others saying for a Razzie. Strong responded to that claim:
“I thought that was the greatest endorsement. Because to me, it was like – listen, I’ll be sad if I win a Razzie, but that’s the place you want to be. That’s the wager you have to make. To me, that means, Okay, I put it on the line enough”
Strong went full Method to play Zuckerberg, speaking only as the Facebook CEO for the entirety of production. In fact, he reportedly went full method during the interview as he’s currently filming his role as a globe-trotting Nazi hunter in the new take on “The Boys from Brazil,” and so conducted the entire interview with a Polish accent.
“The Social Reckoning” opens in theaters October 9th.
The post Strong On Playing Zuckerberg In “Social Reckoning” appeared first on Dark Horizons.
