Jesse Eisenberg admitted that his performance as Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman had a negative impact on his career.
Oscar nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice He aimed to make a big breakthrough with his role as Lex Luthor in the movie. However, the film was harshly panned by critics, earning just a 29% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Eisenberg stated that this situation had a negative impact on his career. Speaking on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, the actor said, “I’ve never said this before, because it’s embarrassing to say, but this movie really hurt my career.”
Batman v Superman’s Journey Full of Criticism
Despite its $874 million box office success, Batman v Superman received heavy criticism from critics. While the film’s heavy atmosphere, structural problems and use of CGI were criticized, Eisenberg’s interpretation of Lex Luthor also created controversy. Even the actor’s bold moves, such as shaving his head for Lex Luthor’s iconic bald look, were not enough to salvage the overall perception of his performance. The film’s failure had long-lasting effects on Eisenberg’s career.
Eisenberg reprized his role as Lex Luthor in Justice League, but that film received similarly negative reviews from critics. While criticism of Justice League focused on the film’s structural shortcomings and CGI quality, Eisenberg’s performance was generally not at the center of the discussion. However, the poor reviews these two films received marked a turning point in the actor’s career.
Despite everything, Jesse Eisenberg was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actor in 2024 for his performance in the movie A Real Pain. This achievement comes 14 years after the actor received his first nomination for The Social Network in 2010. Although Eisenberg acknowledged the effects of Batman v Superman on his career, he managed to attract attention again with his new projects.
Despite their commercial success, Batman v Superman and Justice League were remembered with negative comments from critics. Although Jesse Eisenberg made a bold attempt with his performance in these films, he has come a long way to escape the shadow of criticism. However, his latest successes highlight the actor’s talent again.