Jesse Eisenberg said directing Julianne Moore in When You Finish Saving the World changed his view of acting: he watched her prepare emotionally while he and crew ate and joked, realizing the work was difficult. He had considered actors overpaid and vain.
While promoting The Debut at the San Sebastián Film Festival, Eisenberg said he developed Mona Friedman specifically for Moore, inspired in part by a distinctive voice she used on their earlier film. Moore plays a shy housewife who gets a small community-theater role and becomes consumed by acting. The ensemble includes Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey, Cara Buono, Craig Bierko and Bernadette Peters; the film opens December 11.
The story also draws on Eisenberg’s childhood: he joined community theater at age 7 while shy and lonely, and said performing gave him a welcoming social environment. He told the festival he wanted the film to honor acting and the community built around performance.
