Film news: Jeremy Strong approaching ‘The Social Reckoning’ Zuckerberg role with ‘great respect’
Acting chameleon Jeremy Strong is bringing his method approach to the role of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Strong portrays the divisive figure in Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Network follow-up, with filming already underway.
Film News Blitz’s Dan Lawrence takes a look at Strong’s preparations for The Social Reckoning.
An immersive approach
Strong succeeds Jesse Eisenberg in portraying Zuckerberg on the big screen, with the latter appearing in director David Fincher’s 2010 movie, The Social Network.
Speaking at the AFI Film Festival premiere of the Bruce Springsteen biopic, Deliver Me From Nowhere, Strong divulged to Entertainment Tonight how he’s approaching the world of Meta businessman Zuckerberg.
“The same way I approach anything fully, immersively, thoroughly, I think it's my job to understand and defend the point of view of a character, find an empathic connection to a character,” Strong said.
“We're all human, and so it's the same way I approach these things with great respect and care.”
What is ‘The Social Reckoning’ about?
For The Social Reckoning, Sorkin returns from his Oscar-winning writing duties on The Social Network to also direct the follow-up.
Not only will the story centre on the mob attack on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021, but also follow young Facebook engineer Frances Haugen (played by Mikey Madison), who seeks to expose Facebook’s biggest secrets with the aid of Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White)
Strong completes a formidable acting trio with Madison and White, and is excited about the project ahead.
“It’s one of the great scripts I’ve ever read,” Strong told The Hollywood Reporter.
“It speaks to our time, it touches the third rail of everything happening in our world. It’s a great character — fascinating, complex — and I’m approaching it with great care and empathy and objectivity.”
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