Jesse Eisenberg: Why He Calls Villain Lex Luthor a 'Good Guy'
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‘Saving Humanity’: Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor Is a ‘Good Guy’
Jesse Eisenberg knows how to find the good in the evil.
Playing supervillain Lex Luthor in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the Academy Award-nominated “The Social Network” actor manages to “think about the good things that he thinks he’s doing,” he explained to Made in Hollywood. “He thinks he’s saving humanity from this very risky threat of Superman, who can destroy a city singlehandedly. So, I probably have to think of the character as the good guy, even though, clearly, he’s not.”
As an actor, Eisenberg says, he “can’t really think” of his character as a “narcissistic … manic psychopath” the way he’d probably be diagnosed by a psychiatrist.
Playing the immensely intelligent and wealthy – yet ruthless – public figure hits close to home for Eisenberg.
Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor is ‘Manipulative’
“I do know people like [Lex Luthor],” the “Adventureland” actor said, adding that such people are absolutely not his current film’s writer David S. Goyer, as rumored. “Like this kind of manipulative people where you feel like you’re being charmed by somebody horrible. That’s kind of what this character is. He kind of tricks people into thinking he’s a great philanthropist when actually, he’s ultimately going to kill them.”
In “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” Jesse Eisenberg camps it up as Batman and Superman’s eccentric villain, who’s determined to bring down Gotham’s saviors–seemingly pulling the strings behind their rivalry.
Gal Gadot, who makes her first appearance as Wonder Woman in the movie, joins forces to keep peace. She tells EW that a strong female character is inspiring. “I’m so happy that when [my daughter] grows up she’s going to see a female figure she can be inspired by.”
The Zack Snyder-directed action film, which also stars Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Amy Adams hits theaters on Friday.
