Jesse Eisenberg's wife skipped BAFTAs thinking he'd lose. Then he delivered a tribute she’ll never forget

Many actors take the stage at awards shows with carefully crafted speeches, but Jesse Eisenberg had not prepared one—because he did not think he would win. His wife, Anna Strout, had the same thought and did not even attend the ceremony. But when Eisenberg's film "A Real Pain" won Best Screenplay at the BAFTA Awards, he stepped onto the stage and delivered an emotional, off-the-cuff tribute to Strout. His heartfelt words, equal parts awkward, funny, and deeply sincere, had the audience moved and left romantics online reaching for tissues, per the video shared by BAFTA on YouTube.

As he came onstage to receive the award, he started the speech by saying, "I didn't write anything because I didn't think I'd win. I do want to share this with my wife who didn't come because she didn't think I'd win." He then joked, "I think the person who sat me didn't think I'd win." Even as he fumbled through his words, he wholeheartedly explained how his wife had shaped his view of the world in ways he never would have experienced on his own. "I'm not a stupid person but I'm an idiot. When we first started dating, she dragged me to backpack through Venezuela and since then, over the last 20-something years, she's dragged me around the world reluctantly. It's the way I got to know about the world, which is what this movie is about," he said.

His speech shifted from humor to sincerity as he credited his wife’s intellectual influence on his work. He explained how Scout helped shape his understanding of grief and global struggles. "She also, through strict Marxist Leninist principles, taught me that my grief is unexceptionable compared to the rest of the world, which is the other thing this movie is about," he continued. When concluding, he said, "So Anna, you put every worthwhile thought into my head over the last 20 years, and I love you so much."

Eisenberg’s heartfelt speech was loved by many across social media, including u/Rude_Lifeguard, who reshared it on Reddit and people were in absolute awe. u/Brilliant_Stick418 wrote, "I’d love to be described this way by a loved one. She sounds wonderful." u/BetterNews4682 said, "Wow, he has a way with words. She sounds precious." u/guerillagroupie pointed out, "Marxist-Leninist principles?? Now I’m in love with his wife." u/No-Page-170 commented, "Wishing this type of love will find me." u/soyslut_ penned, "Be right back, sending this to my husband." 

For those who have followed Eisenberg’s career, his deep admiration for his wife comes as no surprise. In 2023, he spoke about how much he hopes their 5-year-old son, Banner, grows up to be like her, as reported by PEOPLE. "I married an amazing woman, I'm praying just be like her, just be like her, please just be everything like her. And for the most part, he's heading in that direction, which is the superior choice," he said. Even years before their marriage, he explained how he was drawn to her because of her passion for helping others. "I find people who want to help other people to be the most interesting. My job is so selfish and focused on my own vanity that I like to surround myself with people who are actually helping people throughout their day," he told Seventeen in 2011.