Entourage, HBO’s hit show about a young movie star and his friends from home living the high life in Hollywood, is hotter than ever in its third season, with the Emmy nominations to show for it in writing, directing (twice) and casting categories, plus a much-deserved nod in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category for Jeremy Piven as über-agent Ari Gold.
Playing Entourage’s breakout character and has done wonders for veteran Piven, whose pre-“Hug it out, bitch” TV credits ranged from ‘90s successes Ellen and Larry Sanders to the short-lived Cupid.
“I’ve gotten more attention for this than anything else and I think it’s because you have a character who says the unspoken. Most people live in fear of confrontation. This guy relishes it,” says Piven, who humbly claims surprise at his nomination. “I was kind of shocked and still am. It just inspires me to work harder.” His date for the awards? “I’m the only straight man to take his mom two years in a row,” he cracks.
The theater-bred Piven, who was recently on the big screen in Keeping Up with the Steins and stars opposite Ben Affleck in Smokin’ Aces in February, is undeniably enjoying the career boost but says he still drives a ’77 Ford Bronco and believes that his TV alter ego wouldn’t give him the time of day: “Ari wouldn’t have patience for a stage actor like Jeremy Piven.”
Entourage has impacted the other actors’ lives as well, at least to some extent. “We’re getting recognized a lot more. It’s hard to walk down the street without Entourage comments, and that’s all nice. And offers are coming, which is also nice,” says Kevin Dillon, who plays Johnny ‘Drama,’ the less stellar half brother of It Boy Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier). But his real life bears little resemblance to that of the pack of horndogs he runs with on the show. He’s a newlywed and father of a baby girl, born in May. “I went through all that; I’m enjoying being a husband and father,” says Dillon, who also has a 15-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
Drama’s kitchen exploits, however, have rubbed off on him. “I’ve learned how to make a nice soufflé, a little mac and cheese. I have to do so many scenes cooking that I wanted to learn how to chop like I know what I’m doing and do certain things around the kitchen that look right. I have to come up with business, you know?” Dillon explains.
His castmates’ domestic lives similarly diverge from their characters’. The single Grenier claims that he lives “vicariously through Vince” and is too tired to chase women off screen, Jerry Ferrara (Turtle) has a steady girlfriend, and so does Kevin Connolly (Eric), who has been dating Nicky Hilton for two years.
Connolly recently bought a new home, but not for him to share with his heiress-designer girlfriend. “We don’t live together. We’re not getting married. I think part of the thing that makes our relationship successful is we don’t put any pressure on each other,” he observes.
His role as Vince’s manager suits him, even if he’s often playing the straight man, he says. “At times I don’t have the big laughs but somebody needs to be the voice of reason. I’m not very funny in real life either!” Entourage has afforded him the opportunity to do other things like directing an independent movie, a dark comedy called Gardener of Eden starring Lukas Haas, Giovanni Ribisi and Jerry Ferrara. “My life was never more like Entourage than when I was trying to get this done. You’re in there with money people that you don’t belong in the room with,” he says of the life-imitating-art experience, though it won’t stop him from directing again.
Connolly, whose previous TV experiences with Unhappily Ever After and First Years were short-lived, is relieved to be part of a hit. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s been the greatest experience of my life so far. I hope it continues for a few more years.”
