Jesse Einsenberg reveals his reason behind ultimate ‘happiness’

Jesse Einsenberg has “never felt happier” than when starring in the Now You See Me movies.

While the 42-year-old has taken on some career-making roles in the past, including playing Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network back in 2010, but it is starring as illusionist J. Daniel Atlas in the magic-based movies that means the most to him.

Speaking to TheWrap, he explained, “I’ve never felt happier than when playing that part. Normally I play depressed people, which makes me depressed, but playing that confident, arrogant magician, I walk away everyday thinking, ‘That was amazing.’”

“It’s the only character where I get to stand up straight and wear a nicer outfit. It’s my happiest place,” Jesse gushed.

The actor has played the magician in three movies so far, Now You See Me in 2013, Now You See Me 2 in 2016, and Now You See Me: Now You Don’t in 2025.

And he is keen to reprise the role for a fourth time, saying, “Honestly, I’d love to do Now You See Me 4 more than anything else.”

Luckily for Jesse, Lionsgate’s Adam Fogelson announced at CinemaCon last year that a fourth instalment in the franchise is in the works, with Now You See Me: Now You Don’t director Ruben Fleischer once again at the helm.

The Now You See Me franchise, which has grossed more than £698 million worldwide, also stars Dave Franco, Isla Fisher and Woody Harrelson.

Meanwhile, speaking previously about what first attracted her to the role of escapist Henley Reeves in the films, Isla told Collider, “I read the script and I loved it.”

“It just had elements of an interesting movie, a good story, interesting people were attached and so many weird contrasting elements - romance, action, a heist… It just seemed like a mixture of a bunch of different movies, like a lovechild of Clash of the Titans meets Ocean’s Twelve,” Isla said of starring in the Now You See Me franchise.