Jesse Eisenberg’s musical comedy “The Debut” officially closed the 70th London Film Festival on Sunday, with the writer-director revealing he penned the lead role specifically for Julianne Moore, whom he praised on the red carpet as “the greatest actress in the world.”
Moore stars as Mona, a reserved New Jersey housewife who finds new purpose and community after joining a local theater production. Reflecting on the role, Moore shared that her character’s internal longing leads her toward personal growth and connection, calling community “the most valuable thing of all.” Drawn to the experience by a longing for something missing in her life, Mona finds purpose and community through the show. “She’s moving towards something, knowing that there’s something that she needs in her life,” Moo. But I don’t realise it’s for the character. Her traits come in handy in a household marked by grief and mystery.
Following his BAFTA-winning screenplay for “A Real Pain,” Eisenberg wrote seven original tracks for the project. The songs feature in a fictional 1990s-style show titled “Nosy Neighbours,” performed by an ensemble cast that includes “The Little Mermaid” star Halle Bailey. Eisenberg noted that his passion for musical theater drove him to compose the music in earnest.
In the film, Mona’s early stage stumbles test the patience of director Jerry, played by “The Holdovers” actor Paul Giamatti, driving her to adopt extreme method acting. Eisenberg explained that Moore’s performance helped ground an otherwise unconventional story. He added that most actors absorb their characters’ emotions during filming, admitting he often feels miserable throughout a shoot when playing a troubled character. According to eisenberg, Moore’s interpretation of Mona allowed him to make a “weird movie” that still felt grounded. “She is so unusual, she’s so strange,” he said. “It allowed me to make a movie that wasn’t realistic. According to while Mona takes method acting to extremes, the “Now You See Me” star, All actors, including himself, draw on some version of the technique. “I always wind up feeling whatever the character feels,” he said. “So if my character is miserable, I spend the shoot just miserable. I just think, ‘Oh God, I must be doing terribly in the movie’.”.
Eisenberg, who also makes a brief on-screen appearance, credited his own childhood experiences in community theater as the inspiration for the film. Co-star Patrick Fabian, who plays Mona’s husband, highlighted how live theater offers a rare chance for audiences to disconnect from screens and share a real-world connection. The festival’s Official Competition top prize, Best Film, was awarded to Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa’s “Imperium.”
The London Film Festival also hosted the world premiere of Taika Waititi’s dystopian drama “Klara and the Sun” on Thursday. Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2021 bestselling novel, the film is set in a technologically advanced future following a global conflict caused by internet misuse. Jenna Ortega plays Klara, an aging artificial companion bought by a teenager named Josie (Mia Tharia) and her mother, portrayed by Amy Adams. Following what one character describes as a third world war triggered by the abuse of the internet, the dystopian drama is based on Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2021 bestseller of the same name and set in a technologically advanced future. Programmed to prevent loneliness, Klara is full of quirks and hopes and believes in the healing power of the sun.
Ortega described the narrative as a timely exploration of human connection, emphasizing that despite futuristic settings, people struggle with the same fundamental issues. Waititi, who directed, co-wrote, and produced the film, noted that the story centers on an AI companion entering a broken family to teach them humanity. He urged viewers to step away from their devices, warning of the risks of losing control over technology. Although Waititi incorporated his signature humor, he stressed it remains his most dramatic work to date. “Klara and the Sun,” which also features Natasha Lyonne, Steve Buscemi, Aran Murphy, and Rachel House, begins its global theatrical rollout on Oct. 21. According to “It’s vital right now because we’re now in a moment where we’re maybe on the cusp of losing control of our relationship with technology,”, Waititi, adding that he also wanted the film to “remind people to put the dev.
