David Fincher’s The Social Network had a great cast and interesting character. Based on a true story, the movie shows the creation of Facebook, which grew to be the largest social media application of its time. It is filled huge twists and turns, particularly as it emphasizes that a great success like Facebook doesn’t happen without hurting a few people along the way. Thanks to Aaron Sorkin’s great writing, the movie is filled with intelligent characters and genius storytelling that bring this unique story to life in completely unexpected ways.
The Social Network features a huge cast of characters, and while they’re all based upon real-life figures that played an actual part in this story, the film’s writing gives them all a fresh personality that every single actor captures brilliantly. That’s exactly why it’s one of Sorkin’s best projects - he transformed what could easily have been a dull narrative about business and finances into a thrilling drama that’s more entertaining than anybody could’ve imaged. The cast is widely responsible for bringing these memorable characters to life, and everybody does a great job of making their role truly distinctive.
Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg
Zuckerberg is the same that’s most commonly associated with Facebook, and for good reason. The entire project was initially his idea, and he’s the one that developed most of the site’s code. However, The Social Network also explores the idea that he’s not the only person that deserved to be credited as the network’s sole creator. Zuckerberg’s journey throughout the film is fascinating to watch, particularly because of just how subtle and well-tuned Jesse Eisenberg’s lead performance is. It’s one of Eisenberg’s best role, not least because of how effectively he portrays Zuckerberg’s morally ambiguous behavior.
Eisenberg received a Best Actor nomination at the Academy Awards for his portrayal of Zuckerberg, but the award ultimately went to Colin Firth for his work in Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech. The performance works so well because he never attempts to brush over the flaws in Zuckerberg’s character, but rather holds them in full display and uses them to explore why he is the way that he is. Eisenberg had previously been involved in projects such as Zombieland and The Squid and the Whale, but it wasn’t until this role that he was given the recognition that he deserved as an actor.
Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin
Andrew Garfield has starred in many great movies, but none of them have offered him a role quite as memorable and iconic as Eduardo Saverin. He’s Zuckerberg’s closest friend during their time in college, and he’s also responsible for much of Facebook’s early success. While it was Zuckerberg that provided most of the technical prowess, Saverin was a great businessman that helped push Facebook to greatness and protect the company. His relationship with Zuckerberg is among The Social Network’s most powerful subplots, as their friendship eventually breaks apart due to business disputes and behind-the-curtain betrayals.
Although Andrew Garfield is best known for his role as Peter Parker in the Amazing Spider-Man movies, he’s actually best when playing more restrained, complex characters like this. Saverin is an incredibly witty character, and while it’s Sorkin that’s responsible for writing those lines, they wouldn’t have been anywhere near as effective without Garfield’s hilarious deliveries. There’s a strong argument to be made that Saverin is the secret protagonist of The Social Network - it’s his relationship with Zuckerberg and his consequent betrayal that pushes most of the story forward, allowing the film to examine the complex morals of both men’s decisions.
Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker
Although he’s more famous for his musical career, Justin Timberlake actually provides a great performance in The Social Network as Sean Parker, another tech genius that plays an integral part in molding Zuckerberg’s journey throughout the film. Parker was renowned for creating the popular Napster software that allowed users to effectively share files across the internet, and his success consequently saw him scouted to be the first president of Facebook. It’s unclear exactly who’s the villain in this David Fincher thriller, but Parker certainly isn’t the hero. He causes a massive rift between Zuckerberg and Saverin that results in the latter’s expulsion from the company.
Timberlake delivers the perfect amount of sarcasm and arrogance to make the audience immediately hate Sean Parker. He’s presented as an egotistic millionaire that has little regard for the other people in his life, and Timberlake really knows how to immediately turn people against him. It’s his musical career in boybands, such as NSYNC, that Timberlake is most well-known for, but he’s also been involved in several entertaining movies such as Friends With Benefits and Inside Llewyn Davis.
Armie Hammer as The Winklevoss Twins
Armie Hammer plays both Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss in The Social Network, two of Zuckerberg’s fellow students, who believe that he stole their idea and transformed it into the site that would later become Facebook. Although their legal claims rarely pose a threat to Zuckerberg (since he eventually just buys their silence with his massive wealth), their presence in the film is hugely important. They allow Fincher and Sorkin to explore just how corrupt and ruthless Zuckerberg could be - particularly when someone stood in the way of his success. Whether or not Zuckerberg actually stole their idea is ultimately irrelevant - the film uses them to expose its protagonist’s many flaws.
The Social Network perfectly understands the internet better than most films have ever been able to, and it doesn’t shy away from presenting its existence as a partly negative thing. It isn’t a celebration of Facebook or even social media in general - it’s a scathing criticism of the betrayal and hardships that are necessary to rise to the top. The Winklevoss twins perfectly represent this corner of the story - they consider themselves entitled to Zuckerberg’s wealth because they originally conceived the idea for the site, but it was his ruthlessness that allowed him to actually climb the ladder. Hammer has also been involved in movies, such as The Lone Ranger.
The Social Network’s Supporting Cast & Characters
Dakota Johnson as Amelia Ritter - Ritter is a young student that wakes up with Sean Parker in his first scene. Although she’s not a hugely important member of the cast, her inclusion helps establish Parker as a carefree playboy. Dakota Johnson’s other great movies include The Lost Daughter and Cha Cha Real Smooth.
Rooney Mara as Erica Albright - Albright is another student at Boston University who’s romantically involved with Zuckerberg at the beginning of the film. Their relationship deteriorates quickly after he starts to neglect her for his other projects, which helps display just how cold and emotionless he can be. She’s played by Rooney Mara, whose other works include Carol and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Rashida Jones as Marylin Delpy - Delpy has the near-impossible job of defending Mark Zuckerberg against lawsuits from both Eduardo Saverin and the Winklevoss twins in court. She doesn’t have many lines, but she’s a crucial addition to the film’s powerfully resonant final scene - in which Zuckerberg finally begins to think about the consequences of his actions. She’s most famous for her TV work on The Office and Parks and Recreation.
Brenda Song as Christy Ling - The Social Network is a perfectly-paced movie, and much of that success comes from its focus on several subplots and supporting relationships. Christy Ling is a great example of this, serving as Saverin’s girlfriend for a short time and offering a glimpse into his life and complex mind. She’s played by Brenda Song, who’s most famous for her work in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and TV series Dollface.
Max Minghella as Divya Narendra - As one of the Winklevoss twins’ closest friends, Divya Narendra was another Harvard genius that found success in the technological world. Working alongside Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, he poses a great threat to both Zuckerberg’s success and reputation. He’s played by Max Minghella, whose most famous works include The Handmaid’s Tale and Babylon
Aaron Sorkin as Ad Executive - Although it’s only a cameo, Sorkin’s role in his own project is still entertaining. The Social Network features Sorkin’s best screenplay, so it makes complete sense that he’d want to include himself in the movie. He plays an unnamed executive whom Zuckerberg and Saverin meet in the early stages of their journey. He’s best known for his writing work on The West Wing and Steve Jobs.
Joseph Mazzello as Dustin Moskovitz - Although his name isn’t as notorious as Zuckerberg’s (or even Saverin’s), Moskovitz was the other great mind behind the invention of Facebook. He was pivotal to the site’s success in the group’s college days, though he soon left to pursue bigger dreams. In The Social Network, he’s portrayed by Bohemian Rhapsody’s Joseph Mazzello.