In a recent interview with the Polish publication “Głos Wielkopolski,” Jesse Eisenberg revealed that he has submitted an application for Polish citizenship. According to him, the application was made nine months ago, and he is currently awaiting the final signature.
“My family hails from the southeast, specifically Krasnystaw, while my wife, Anna Strout, has roots in Łódź. We desired a stronger bond with Poland and I personally aspire to further my work here,” he expressed.
As I was growing up, I used to hear incredible stories about the close bond between my Jewish family and the Polish community. We were portrayed as best friends with the Poles. Prior to the war, my family resided in Krasnystaw, but only one person managed to survive and later relocated to Szczecin. Sadly, this relative recently passed away due to Covid-19.
We have contacted Eisenberg’s representatives for comment, Variety reports.
Jesse Eisenberg, known for his role in “The Social Network,” visited Poland as a special guest of the Impact’24 congress. Interestingly, Eisenberg also filmed “A Real Pain” in the same country. In this film, he took on multiple roles as the director, writer, and actor, sharing the screen with Kieran Culkin from “Succession.” Premiering at Sundance, the movie tells the story of two cousins who embark on a journey to Poland in search of their ancestral roots.
The movie was filmed in the hometowns of Eisenberg’s family, including Lublin, Warsaw, Krasnystaw, Kraśnik, and Radom.
During my time here, I had the opportunity to connect with individuals involved in government-related roles. I expressed my genuine desire to foster stronger bonds between Jews and Polish citizens, recognizing the unfortunate state of these relationships. Given my family’s roots in Poland and my wife’s familial ties to the country, I inquired about the possibility of obtaining Polish citizenship as a means to contribute to this cause.
In his upcoming projects, Eisenberg will be taking on a new role as a director for a film set in New Jersey. The movie will revolve around the story of a timid woman who finds her place in a community theatre. Additionally, he will also be working on the highly anticipated “Now You See Me 3.”
“It films in Budapest – I wish it could film here, of course, but Hungary has these tax incentives that attract American filmmakers, which I wish Poland had,” he expressed, while expressing his desire for the production to take place in his home country. However, he remains optimistic about the future and plans to return to Poland for future projects.
He expressed a personal connection to Poland, explaining that his family has deep roots in the country, spanning generations and centuries. This connection makes him feel a sense of belonging to something bigger than himself. While acknowledging the relatively new history of America, he feels a strong bond to Poland’s rich historical heritage.
In a conversation with Variety, Ewa Puszczyńska, the producer of “A Real Pain,” acknowledged that Eisenberg’s team expressed their willingness to come back for another film.
According to the speaker, while incentives are beneficial, there is a limitation to the pool of resources available. She mentioned that there was a consideration to undertake another project in Poland, but the funds had already been depleted. As a result, there is a need for a system that operates continuously throughout the year.
“We have successfully demonstrated our ability to manage film production in Poland at all levels through these movies. For Jesse Eisenberg’s film, the entire crew, except for the actors and director, was composed of Polish professionals,” Puszczyńska explained.