Jeremy Strong reached out to Mark Zuckerberg after ‘Social Reckoning’ casting, and he still blasts him as ‘a reviled person’

Jeremy Strong is stepping into one of the most high-profile roles in tech as he prepares to portray Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in the upcoming film The Social Reckoning. The actor recently confirmed in an interview with GQ that he reached out to Zuckerberg directly after accepting the part to ensure the portrayal is handled with the appropriate level of gravity.

While he kept the details of their correspondence private, Strong noted that he told Zuckerberg he takes the responsibility very seriously and is approaching the performance with respect. It is a massive challenge for any actor to take on such a recognizable figure, especially when the role was previously defined by Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network.

Eisenberg, who earned an Oscar nomination for his work in that film, declined to reprise the role for this follow-up project. He reportedly did not want to be associated with the Facebook co-founder any longer. Strong, however, saw the opportunity differently after bumping into writer-director Aaron Sorkin at an Oscars season party. He told Sorkin to reach out if Eisenberg decided not to return.

Strong is clearly aware of the public sentiment surrounding his subject

During the interview, he acknowledged the difficulty of the task and the polarized reaction the project has already generated. He stated, “Listen, I know that he is a reviled person and not a popular person in our culture, but I do not think you should have an actor playing him who wants to set out to condemn him.”

To get into character, Strong took his usual deep-dive approach. He consumed a massive amount of source material, including podcasts, magazine interviews, and tech-summit talks. He spent time watching footage of Zuckerberg testifying before Congress until he felt he had internalized the mannerisms of the CEO.

Although Strong does not personally use social media, he created a Facebook account to scroll through years of posts. He wanted to trace a longitudinal record of how Zuckerberg evolved into what he calls a “wartime CEO” in the years between the two films.

The casting has already sparked some intense debate online. When Sony released the first trailer in June, reactions were all over the place. Some viewers predicted an Oscar nomination for Strong, while others suggested he might be heading for a Razzie. Strong actually views that split as a positive sign. He said, “I thought that was the greatest endorsement. Because to me, it was like — listen, I’ll be sad if I win a Razzie, but that’s the place you want to be. That’s the wager you have to make. To me, that means, Okay, I put it on the line enough.”

Staying true to his reputation for intense preparation, Strong went full Method during the production of The Social Reckoning. He spoke only as Zuckerberg for the entire duration of the shoot. His friend Bradley Cooper even joked about the experience, noting that he had an entire friendship with the version of Mark Zuckerberg that Strong was channeling, even if the real Zuckerberg had no idea.

Strong is currently working on an adaptation of The Boys from Brazil, where he plays a Nazi hunter. He has spent seven months speaking in a Polish accent for that role, even when he is just chatting on the phone with friends or collaborators. Aaron Sorkin shared that Strong recently called him and launched directly into the character’s accent without any preamble.

The Social Reckoning is scheduled to open in theaters on October 9.