Jesse Eisenberg’s musical comedy “The Debut” closed the 70th BFI London Film Festival on Sunday night, and the writer-director used the occasion to reveal what he plans to make next: a television series. Eisenberg and star Julianne Moore introduced the film to a packed Royal Festival Hall. He wrote the lead role with Moore in mind and called her “the greatest actress in the world.” Moore returned the compliment, calling the script one of the best she has ever read and praising Eisenberg’s worldview, sense of humor and empathy.
“The Debut” follows Mona Friedman, a shy New Jersey housewife who auditions for her local theater’s production of a fictional musical, “Nosy Neighbors.” The show gives her a sense of purpose and community she had been missing. Paul Giamatti co-stars. Eisenberg, Halle Bailey, Colton Ryan and Bonnie Milligan play fellow cast members in the musical. Bernadette Peters and Havana Rose Liu also appear in the film, which A24 releases Dec. 11 after a premiere at Telluride.
Eisenberg joked that casting two longtime idols brought out his worst self on set. He described Giamatti as his favorite actor since childhood and Moore as his favorite actress. The project is a reunion. Moore starred in Eisenberg’s 2022 directorial debut, “When You Finish Saving the World,” and he said the two had an extraordinary time making it. In “The Debut,” he put the pair in front of the camera again with Giamatti, a pairing he reached for after the success of “A Real Pain,” the film that followed his first outing as a director.
At an earlier festival event, Eisenberg disclosed that his next project is a TV series about an 18-year-old girl in 2002. He offered no network, streamer, cast or premiere date in the accounts available Monday. The festival closing capped a run in which “The Debut” drew warm reviews from the London audience. Eisenberg announced the film in November 2024, with Moore and Giamatti attached from the start. Emma Stone and Dave McCary are among its producers.
