Jesse Eisenberg pretends he is not part of the movie industry.

The 'Social Network' actor admits he sometimes thinks his profession is "ridiculous" and tries to ignore all the surrounding aspects of his work.

He said: "I sort of pretend I'm not even in the industry. I don't own a television. I never go to Los Angeles. I even trick myself into being surprised when I'm sent a script. I try to ignore everything except the actual experience of acting. Which in itself is kind of silly.

"I mean, sometimes I take a step back and I think, being an actor - it's ridiculous, really, you're not adding anything to the world. Why would anyone do this? But then other times I think, my God - how can anyone do anything else?"

The 27-year-old star admitted he has "personal anxieties", but he is able to relieve them in a "healthful" way by playing the role of complex characters who have serious issues.

He explained to The Star-Ledger: "I have a lot of personal anxieties. And I've realised that playing a character stuck in a life-or-death situation like this allows me to release those anxieties in a very healthful, cathartic way."