Jesse Eisenberg is giving a special shout-out to Emma Stone.

The 41-year-old A Real Pain writer and director won Best Screenplay at the 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday (February 22), and he spoke about his Zombieland co-star, who was a producer on the film.

“I met Emma when we were in Zombieland together 2009 and since then — I write little magazine articles and little things on McSweeney’s, and she’s the only person, I’m including my mom here, who would take little screenshots of it over the last 15 years and send me things like, ‘This is such a funny line!’” he said.

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“She was, definitely still [is], the most famous person I know, and yet also the most dedicated to encouraging me as a writer. I think about her not as my producer, but like a fairy godmother, that I am riding the coattails of her goodwill.