Timberlake, Eisenberg Get "Social"

Few films this year are getting as much attention and critical acclaim as "The Social Network." It's being called the movie Facebook does not want you to see.

The film takes viewers inside the complex world that brought 500 million friends together, while tearing numerous relationships apart.

Jesse Eisenberg stars as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. And Justin Timberlake plays Sean Parker who famously -- or infamously -- created Napster and had a very interesting life thereafter.

The two actors sat down with "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith to discuss the film, which Smith calls "so stunning" and comparable to what "Wall Street" was to the late '80s.

But taking on real people is not always an easy task.

So, how did Eisenberg prepare to play Mark Zuckerberg?

"A few ways," Eisenberg said. "The most important way is to go off this wonderful script that Aaron Sorkin who created 'The West Wing,' and 'A Few Good Men,' and wrote this incredible script and created these amazing characters who, like you said, are based on real people," Eisenberg explained. "In addition to using his script there's countless videos and interviews with Mark Zuckerberg. He's a very public person. I watched everything I could find, of course."

When taking on the role of Napster's Sean Parker, did Timberlake draw from people he's met throughout his own career and interesting business life?

"I kind of boringly mirror what Jesse had to say about how this kind of played out. I think it's important to point out that Aaron Sorkin, who not only dazzles you with his dialogue, his research on these people was overwhelmingly accurate," Timberlake said.

Smith joked that there's a lot of smarm to the character -- and that Timberlake does it well.

"I don't want to pretend that I know who this person really is. Because I've never spent time with him. That would be irresponsible as a human being to assume. I can tell you that what I found in the film was a lot of tasty things to play within the character for sure," Timberlake added.

There has been so much hype surrounding this film, so what is it like to be in the midst of this phenomenon?

"I feel like any time you work on a movie you kind of think it's the greatest thing in the world. And then it comes out and the audience tells you otherwise. You know? This has been kind of the nice experience where you feel pride doing it is kind of shared by the audience," Eisenberg said.

In terms of actually using Facebook, art doesn't imitate life in this case -- Timberlake and Eisenberg admit that they don't have a Facebook account.

Whether they are registered on Facebook or not, there has been a lot of Oscar buzz surrounding "The Social Network."

While Eisenberg says he doesn't know if it's possible to speculate what kinds of awards it might receive, he said, "We're just happy that the reaction is really nice to the movie."

There is no shortage of energy in the film.

"I think it helps that you have such a masterful filmmaker behind it and sort of pulling the strings on it," Timberlake said. "David Fincher whose obviously thrilled us with the films that he's put out. He has a way of filming in a very, very smart way."

Movies aside, is Timberlake ever going to make a record again?

"I don't know," Timberlake said. "I'm sure at some point I'll make a record. I don't know what capacity...I obviously love making music," he said.

It's been several years now, Smith points out, and people want to know.

"Well, I can tell you that when I know, you'll definitely know," Timberlake said.

"We'll take that as a maybe," Smith added.

"It's a strong maybe, though," Timberlake said.