The most famous magician of 21st century America is Harry Houdiniand he’s been dead for almost 100 years. Houdini named himself after Robert-Houdin, the 19th century French magician. Robert-Houdin thought a magician should dress like his audience, not in a conical hat and robes like a wizard or a witch. In 19th century Paris, that meant Robert-Houdin dressed in top hat and tails. Stupid magicians continued to copy his wardrobe long after audiences started wearing jeans—they missed the point.

Robert-Houdin said that a magician was an actor playing the part of a magician. So Jesse Eisenberg, in Now You See Me and Now You See Me 2, is an actor playing the part of an actor playing the part of a magician. Jesse has a harder job than Robert-Houdin, Houdini or me. (I wrote that last sentence just so there would be one sentence on record where I’m included with those two geniuses.)

http://parade.com/478682/pennjillette/penn-jillette-magicians-intelligence-now-you-see-me-2/