Jesse Eisenberg Relives Kieran Culkin Woes Making ‘A Real Pain’ and Says His Next Project Is a TV Show

Jesse Eisenberg described the unpredictable experience of directing Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain, saying he had to adapt the film’s staging to suit Culkin’s spontaneous performance. The story matters because Culkin’s work in the film earned him his first Oscar, and Eisenberg said the adjustment helped unlock the role.

At a BFI London Film Festival event, Eisenberg recalled that Culkin was late travelling to Poland, resisted rehearsals and initially disliked being told where to stand. Producer Emma Stone accompanied him on the journey, and Eisenberg eventually followed Culkin around during scenes to give him more freedom. Eisenberg also praised Stone’s support for his films and said his next project is a television show.