Why Jesse Eisenberg Was Shaking in Kieran Culkin’s Arms on Sundance Red Carpet

Sometimes red carpets can be a real pain.

While posing for photos at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Jesse Eisenberg confided in his A Real Pain costar Kieran Culkin about some of his all-too-relatable fears about their big movie premiere. 

"He's just an anxious person," Culkin told E! News' The Rundown host Erin Lim Rhodes at the Jan. 20 event. "Just now, I had my arm around him and he was shaking."

So, Culkin asked the Social Network star if he was alright.

"He said, ‘Everything when I go outside makes me nervous,'" the Succession actor continued. "He's like, ‘Are you anxious about any part of this? Nervous?'"

When Culkin assured him that he was totally comfortable on the red carpet, Eisenberg seemed surprised.

"He's like, ‘Did you think when we started this that you would be like me?'" Culkin recalled. "And I said, ‘No, not at all. Why? Did you think we would be alike?'"

According to the Emmy winner, Eisenberg assumed they would share similar fears. "Then, he just left nervous," added Culkin, who made his acting debut at age 7 in 1990's Home Alone with brother Macaulay Culkin.

Yet, Eisenberg's confession proved even Oscar nominees get worried about being in front of the camera, a feeling his fans can certainly understand. 

"I've never related to Jesse Eisenberg more than in this moment," one TikTok user commented on the clip, while another said, "Jesse is so real."

Others couldn't help but draw comparisons to the Zombieland star's onscreen characters. 

"So what you're saying is that Jesse Eisenberg plays himself in most films and it's not a bit," one person wrote. "That tracks."

Watch more of The Rundown on Snapchat, and keep reading for a look at more stars at the Sundance Film Festival.

Casamigos x TAO Park City party 

Casamigos x TAO Park City

A Different Man premiere

The Hollywood Reporter Studio sponsored by Heineken Silver

The Vulture Spot

IndieWire Sundance Studio presented by Dropbox 

Cinema Cafe

Love Lies Bleeding premiere

New York Magazine The Cut’s "How I Get It Done" event 

GLAAD x Meredith Marks Park City boutique event

Suncoast premiere

Project Blackbird's "Mental Health in Film" panel

Gotham Sundance Dinner

IMDb Portrait Studio at Acura House of Energy

The Outrun premiere

Variety's Sundance Studio

Love Me premiere

Sasquatch Sunset premiere

Between the Temples premiere

The Heart premiere at the Short Film Program

Opening Night Gala

Freaky Tales world premiere

Opening Night Gala

Freaky Tales world premiere

Opening Night Gala

ALOK premiere at the Short Film Program