Jesse Eisenberg may have first caught everyone’s attention with the 2009 action comedy Zombieland, but it was his take on Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network that, arguably, thrusts the actor into the spotlight. In fact, Eisenberg’s performance didn’t just earn him an Oscar nod, the actor received BAFTA, SAG, and Golden Globe nominations for his work on the film.Meanwhile, just like his Social Network co-star Andrew Garfield, Eisenberg has largely gone on to pursue other film projects since then. And while he hasn’t gotten another Oscar nod since, the actor continues to gain critical buzz thanks to the roles he’s chosen to play in the years that followed. Aside from this, it’s become clear that Eisenberg has amassed quite an impressive wealth for himself.
Right After ‘The Social Network,’ Jesse Eisenberg Joined This Animation Franchise
Soon after The Social Network, Eisenberg went on to voice the lead character in the 2011 animated film Rio. In the movie, the actor portrays Blu, a blue macaw living in Minnesota. For Eisenberg, doing the project was a no-brainer because it speaks to one of his passions.
“One of the reasons I wanted to do the movie is because I’ve become sort of friendly with animal life and to do a movie that promotes, um, the preservation of endangered species, the protection of the environment, was a wonderful opportunity, and it does it in a way that is not, uh, condescending,” Eisenberg told Vulture. “It does it in a way that is definitely not explicitly political or crass. And it does it in a way that’s fun.”
Rio went on to earn over $400 million at the box office, prompting the release of a sequel in 2014. Eisenberg returned to reprise his role.
Jesse Eisenberg Went On To Famously Play A Magician/Bank Robber
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Just a couple of years after the first Rio film, Eisenberg starred in the crime mystery Now You See Me. In the movie, the actor portrays one of the Four Horsemen, stage illusionists who are experts in bank robbery. Aside from Eisenberg, the cast boasts of an all-star ensemble that includes Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Isla Fisher, Michael Caine, and Common.
And for Eisenberg, being surrounded by an incredible group of actors certainly helped him maintain his A-game. “I think it’s easy in a movie like this with such a complicated plot to kind of forget about your role and just be running around. When you’re surrounded by these great actors it’s easier to focus,” the actor told Flixist.
“Even though the film takes place around the world and there are crazy locations my job is to really think about what my character would be thinking in these situations. When you’re surrounded by other people doing the same it makes it easier to do that.” The actor later reprised his role in the follow-up film Now You See Me 2.
Jesse Eisenberg Went On To Play This Famous DC Comics Villain
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Years after The Social Network, Eisenberg stepped into the world of DC Comics, playing Lex Luthor in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) films Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. And as it turns out, he decided to sign on without even reading the full script for Batman v Superman.
“Because it was so dense. There were references to things I'd never heard of, I was shocked,” he told Konbini. “Because I'd never seen a superhero movie, because I live in a bubble or whatever, and so I thought it was just going to be people flying around for a hundred pages.”
Here’s How Much Jesse Eisenberg Is Worth Today
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Current estimates indicate that Eisenberg is now worth anywhere between $10 to $12 million. And while his actual salary for The Social Network was never disclosed, fans can assume that Eisenberg was paid quite handsomely since he was the lead. It stands to reason that the actor managed to negotiate better deals for himself following his Oscar nomination.
Moreover, one may also assume that Eisenberg was paid more when he did follow-up films to both Rio and Now You See Me. For instance, it is believed that the actor received $1.5 million for his voice work on Rio 2. Meanwhile, Eisenberg’s salary for Now You See Me was reported to be around $600,000 and it is likely that this rate went up significantly by the time he signed on to Now You See Me 2.
Meanwhile, Eisenberg may be venturing into filmmaking more lately, but the actor is yet to establish his own production company. In fact, his upcoming directorial debut, When You Finish Saving the World, is being produced by former Zombieland co-star Emma Stone.
At the same time, it was previously announced that Eisenberg is turning his book, Bream Gives Me Hiccups, into a tv series. Aside from this, the actor is also attached to two upcoming films and a miniseries. These include the period film The Medusa, which also stars Pierce Brosnan and Vanessa Redgrave.