Jesse Eisenberg found it 'so distracting' acting alongside Julianne Moore

Jesse Eisenberg found it "so distracting" acting alongside his heroes Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti in his new movie The Debut.

In the new comedy, which Eisenberg wrote and directed, Moore plays an unappreciated housewife who lands a role in a local community theatre production of a musical called Nosy Neighbors, directed by Giamatti's Jerry.

Eisenberg appears briefly in the film as a member of the musical's ensemble cast, and he admitted it was distracting watching them work before performing himself.

"Paul's been my favourite actor since I'm young, Julianne's been my favourite actress since I'm young," he said while introducing the movie at the London Film Festival, adding that it was "very strange" but the "thrill of a lifetime" to work with them.

"I was spending so much time enthralled with them, and then it was like Michael Jordan said, 'Here, you take the ball!' And I'm like, 'What is this thing?'" he continued, reports Variety. "So it was so distracting to me."

He then quipped, "I hope to never act alongside them again... I was my worst self."

The Debut marks Eisenberg's third directorial outing after A Real Pain and When You Finish Saving the World, which starred Moore.

The Social Network actor wrote the film based on his own community theatre experiences and created the character of Mona with the Far From Heaven star in mind.

"I wanted to write about that experience in my life, but I could only picture Julianne, to the point where I was writing it and she was inspiring me," he explained. "It's the most thrilling experience to watch her and edit her for two years."

Following its film festival circuit, The Debut will be released in the U.S. in December and the U.K. in January.