Jesse Eisenberg Reveals How Musical Theatre ‘Saved His Life’

Jesse Eisenberg is opening up about how his early love of musical theatre “saved his life.” Dating back to his childhood, he credits playing “orphan child #7” in a hybrid production of Annie and Oliver! with helping him find a sense of belonging.

While appearing on Q with Tom Power, Eisenberg – whose new musical film The Debut comes out in December – he loved musical theatre because it was “somewhere to go where people were nice.”

“I had a weird childhood. I was in a mental institution,” he shares, confirming that he believes theatre did, in fact, save his life. “I think a lot of people in the arts have that feeling. The movie shows this better than I could even articulate it.”

The Debut follows a timid woman (Julianne Moore) who is unexpectedly cast in a community theater production of an original musical. After joining the production, she finds herself lost under the spell of her character and the domineering director (Paul Giamatti). In addition to directing the feature, Eisenberg wrote the screenplay, original songs, and also stars in the film.

He looks back on his first theater performance, which was “a mixture of Annie and Oliver! because the theater company couldn’t get the rights to either one.”

“They did 49% legally of Annie, 49% legally of Oliver… Then 2% were they’re related and they find each other’s lockets.”

Although he had a small role in the production, he found community with fellow actors that he hadn’t experienced before.

“I was made fun of for having curly hair. OK, it was a minor little thing. Everybody gets made fun of for something. But like, I walk into the community theater and they’re like, ‘Curly hair is so good for this show. You’re gonna actually have a really good part because your hair.’ And so it was like the upside down world suddenly. I was just suddenly like embraced.”

The cast for the upcoming film also includes Broadway legend Bernadette Peters, The Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey, Cara Buono, Tony Award-nominee Craig Bierko, and Eldar Isgandarov. 

Drama Desk winner K. Todd Freeman, Havana Rose Liu (Bottoms, off-Broadway’s All Nighter), Tony Award-winner Bonnie Milligan, Dear Evan Hansen’s Colton Ryan, Lilli Cooper (Off-Broadway’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Spring Awakening), and Maulik Pancholy (30 Rock, Schmigadoon) round out the movie’s ensemble.

Photo Credit: Bruce Glikas