Entourage Season 3 on HBO This is the year VICTORY spoilers and speculation

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:heart:Season 3 increased to 20 episodes



HBO presents Entourage, the hit comedy series executive produced by Mark Wahlberg that takes a look at the day-to-day life of Vincent (Vince) Chase, a hot young actor in modern-day Hollywood, and his entourage. He's brought with him from their hometown in Queens, NY: manager Eric, half-brother Drama, and friend Turtle. The series draws on the experiences of industry insiders to illustrate both the heady excesses of today's celebrity lifestyle, as well as the difficulty of finding love and success in the fast track of show biz. Now that the boys are getting used to the perks of stardom, Eric, along with superagent Ari, keep Vince's star rising while making sound decisions for a long-lasting career in a world of fleeting fame.

Adrian Grenier ("Drive Me Crazy," "Hart's War") stars as Vince. Kevin Connolly ("Antwone Fisher," "John Q") plays Eric, Vince's closest confidant who's learning the rules of the business as he tries to help Vince make the right choices and keep his trajectory aimed high. Kevin Dillon ("The Doors," "Platoon") plays Vince's half-brother Drama, whose own acting aspirations have been eclipsed by Vince's success. Jerry Ferrara ("Grounded for Life," "Leap of Faith") plays Turtle, the house manager, who's always up for a good time. Jeremy Piven ("Old School," "The Larry Sanders Show") plays Ari, Vince's aggressive, high-powered agent, who clashes with Eric over his client's decisions.

Also appearing in ENTOURAGE are Debi Mazar ("Goodfellas," "The Tuxedo") as Vince's publicist Shauna and Rex Lee as Lloyd, Ari Gold's much-maligned assistant


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Piven and 'Entourage' Back on the Scene
Ari strikes out on his own as 'Aquaman' gets ready to take the box office
By Jay Bobbin
June 9 2006


Rex Lee and Jeremy Piven on 'Entourage'On the list of memorable series characters of recent years, Hollywood talent agent Ari Gold has a solid spot.

As played by Emmy nominee Jeremy Piven on the HBO comedy "Entourage," the originator of the phrase "Let's hug it out, bitch" is a profane bundle of energy who can be your best friend if he represents you -- and your worst enemy if you get in his way.

Co-produced by Mark Wahlberg, the smart showbiz satire debuts its third season Sunday, June 11, with an episode that proves Ari unstoppable even after being fired from a high-powered firm.


Now operating out of seedier digs -- complete with an inoperable elevator, and with put-upon assistant Lloyd (Rex Lee) still at his beck and call -- Ari edgily anticipates the opening of the big-budget movie "Aquaman," showcasing star client Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier). Ari also joins his wife (Perrey Reeves), quite reluctantly, in marriage-counseling sessions interrupted by his incessantly ringing cell phone.

Vince's title entourage remains intact, with his aspiring-actor half brother Drama (Kevin Dillon), pal and manager Eric (Kevin Connolly), and fun-loving Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) still by his side.

Also returning are Debi Mazar as Vince's publicist and Emmanuelle Chriqui ("In the Mix") as Eric's privileged girlfriend. Celebrities appearing as themselves this season include James Woods and "Titanic" Oscar winner James Cameron, ostensibly the director of "Aquaman."

Trying to keep Ari as much a Hollywood player as ever, despite his obvious demotion, is the sort of acting challenge Piven embraces.

"The car and the job are gone, the phone is shut off, and the bottom has dropped out," Piven says of life for Ari in the new season. "The cameras are rarely on sticks where Ari is concerned. There's always movement. He's always in flight.

"Acting is a momentum sport, and you're always trying to get that momentum in an arena that doesn't necessarily lend itself to movement. You have to wait for everything to settle down, then someone yells, 'Action!' I'm so unbelievably honored to be a working actor, it's my job to figure out how to get better. I don't take any of it for granted. I might even start running a scene before the point where it's written to begin. People indulge me in that."

One of those people would be co-star Lee, whose Lloyd is a frequent target of Ari's abuse.

"I just feel like we got lucky," Piven says. "Who knew Rex Lee would come in and give us such a great character to juxtapose against Ari? It's one of those great matches of the people least likely to be standing next to each other.

"There's this great form called commedia dell'arte, where you're allowed to explore and heighten emotions, and to be a big ham -- which is what I am -- and it calls for you to show the progression of things. I think that's what we've done here. We've continued the 'through line' of the relationship of those two guys."

At the same time, it points out how differently Ari treats some people -- particularly Vince, his star commodity.

"You see the professional face he puts on when he greets the boys," Piven reasons, "and I think that gives a little humanity to the creature Ari is. His wife obviously knows all his tragic flaws, but she knows how to play it. Lloyd gets it and sees all of [Ari's] warts but is still subservient to him at the end of the day. That duality is beautiful."

Piven is proud "Entourage" gives credit to its viewers. "The audience is so much more savvy than even I am in terms of knowing the [entertainment] business, because of the accessibility of information and the programs that show the backstage life of the industry. I hear about worries that our show is too 'inside,' but there are real reference points. A couple of names might be lost on a few people, but they can see how others react, and they can imagine what those names mean. And the imagining can be more interesting than the actuality."

The New York-born, Illinois-raised Piven wouldn't mind if others stopped imagining that it was his own agent who inspired his portrayal of Ari.

"The thing that's so flattering to me," he maintains, "is that people come up to me and go, 'I know the guy that's based on.' They'll name all these different people, and I'll say, 'Yeah, yeah, sure, it is.' I feel like I'm really onto something if that happens."

Ari is still a work in progress, Piven claims. "I've been kicking around a while, and I've seen so many casting offices and interactions with agents. I still take it all in ... even watching [producer] Steve Levinson, who is also Adrian's manager, deal with Adrian on the set. At one moment, I looked at him and thought, 'Wow. I hold my hands in a praying position and slump my shoulders just like that.' I'm always looking for new things to steal, because I'm just an artistic thief."

Also playing a gentler talent agent in the current movie "Keeping Up With the Steins," Piven is the son of two performers and acting teachers, Joyce Hiller Piven and the late Byrne Piven. Formerly a regular on Ellen DeGeneres' "Ellen" sitcom, he knows what it's like to be on a series that has critical acclaim but small viewership (notably, "Cupid" and "The Larry Sanders Show"), so he fully appreciates the wider attention his "Entourage" work has drawn.

"It's a flat-out gift," Piven says. "There are so many, great talented actors, and all they need is a shot and a great role. Until that moment, as far as the industry is concerned, that actor is just theorizing about what he or she can do. My father did this all his life, and he never had the opportunities I have been getting.

"Every actor's journey is different. I am so unbelievably thankful for this shot, and when I say it's not lost on me, I really mean it."

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:heart: deadlinehollywooddaily.com

The new season picks up with Aquaman already shot and about to open. But, uh-oh, there are rolling blackouts around Los Angeles that threaten box office. Vince is now an international superstar; as a result, he scores even hotter girls since he's come out of his Mandy Moore-inspired funk by hitting single life hard. Ari opens his own boutique agency and develops a gambling problem. Eric gets serious with Terence's daughter Sloan, but also engages in a rather promising ménage à trois. Drama gets a TV gig. Turtle gets a girlfriend. There's also a lot of family in Season #3: we meet Eric's and Turtle's mothers. (No, Turtle wasn't hatched.) A new homeboy from the old neighborhood joins Vince's entourage. Shauna works pregnant. Ari is unnerved by his daughter dating a teen idol, but that may be payback for the agent's hazing of even more put-upon Lloyd. I'm looking forward to the scene between Ari and "The Five Families" i.e. the top five agency heads. Here's the casting sheet on this: "Male or female: Must be 35-50. These execs run the town's five biggest and most influential agencies. Smart, sophisticated, rich, slick and savvy, and very tough. A couple of lines apiece."

There's also a sexy and sophisticated female superagent Amanda (played by Carla Cugino) trying to steal Vince from Ari, and she plays dirty by sleeping with her prey. I'm hearing Vince pulls a prank on a Katzenberg clone by stealing a Shrek-like doll from his home. There's a road trip to Vegas, plus a visit to a Six Flags/Magic Mountain-type amusement park to christen the new Aquaman ride. Cameos this season include Mercedes Ruehl and Patti D'Arbanville (as Entourage moms), Kobe Bryant, James Woods, Nora Dunn, Bruno Kirby and, again, James Cameron.

************

Episode 301 Sunday June 11th
Aquamom

Drama schools the guys on his official female rating system as they scout for dates for the upcoming Aquaman premiere. (Season 3 premieres Sunday, June 11th only on HBO.)

As the gang anticipates the upcoming premiere for "Aquaman", the search is on for a perfect date for Vince. Meanwhile, Ari tries to cope with financial difficulties and his new office space, which is not quite what he is used to.


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Episode 302 - Sunday June 18th
One Day in the Valley

Ari and Eric are worried because rolling blackouts have hit Los Angeles and it may cause a decrease in the box-office totals for "Aquaman" in the area. The two ponder how to keep Vince from finding out the situation.
Guest Star: Gary Kraus (Movie Theater Manager)

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Episode 303 Sunday June 25
Dominated

The gang have no idea what to think when Vince decides to hang out with his old friend who happens to be an ex-con and wants them all to be friends. Meanwhile, Ari's daughter ends up becoming friends with an up and coming movie star.

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'Entourage' pivots on Piven

Thursday, June 8, 2006; Posted: 10:30 a.m. EDT (14:30 GMT)


Jeremy Piven arrives at the premiere for the third season of "Entourage" in Los Angeles.
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Entertainment (general)
Jeremy Piven


LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Jeremy Piven is not a cutthroat superagent. He's not married and he hasn't just been ousted from a high-powered Hollywood firm.

In other words, he's nothing like Ari, the character he plays on HBO's "Entourage," which returns Sunday night for its third season.

Piven does have plenty in common with the show, which follows up-and-coming actor Vince Chase and his entourage of New York pals as Ari and other Hollywood forces shape his future. As real-life actors, each cast member brings personal experiences to "Entourage," Piven says.

"It's not a documentary, but there are certain energies out there in this arena that are, to lesser and greater extents, what we're showing," he says. "We're all coming from a place where we have some serious references so I think that lends some authenticity to it."

Piven, 40, spent part of a rare afternoon off talking with The Associated Press -- quite Ari-esque: on his cell, juggling calls -- about life in Hollywood and the flawed characters he loves to play.

Q: Does Ari make his big comeback in season three?

Piven: You can never count a guy like that out ever. And if he does go out, he's going to go down swinging, so it's going to be some sort of beautifully awkward spectacle.

There's going to be a lot of shake-ups this season, which is really kind of great, but I don't think we've betrayed anything we've laid out so far in terms of who these characters are and who they are to each other. It's all very true to the world. Ari's got to get back on his feet and he's going to need the help of, believe it or not, his wife and his man, Lloyd.

Q: Where do you seek inspiration to play Ari?

Piven: Ari Emanuel (a real-life agent upon whom the character is loosely based) has a very specific energy and he is a real unique guy. Some of his traits have been extracted. I don't want to get too much into it because I think one of our jobs as performers is to keep a bit of mystery about it, so it's more juicy for you to devour. I've taken things from other sources in order to flesh the character out and make him accessible and human. Sometimes you just have to be present and add your own humanity to it, God willing that you have some.

Q: Ari is the quintessential Type-A personality. Are you? How do you unwind?

Piven: I think you would be viciously bored by me if you met me, because I downshift from what you see as Ari into my own state. I operate from a calmer place. If you don't do yoga, if you don't find ways to balance it out, if you run so hot like that all the time you're going to burn out for sure. In order to jump off and hit those high notes, you then have to regroup and downshift and find your balance. If I told you the way I am it would sound very kumbaya.

Q: Let's have it.

Piven: (Pauses) It's hard to talk about myself. I'm confused. It just feels so silly.

I'm so fascinated with certain actors that have really done such a beautiful job of letting whatever they contribute as an actor speak for itself. You're not inundated with images of them or their summer vacations. I'm just in awe of people like that.

Q: What else do you have happening on screen?

Piven: I have a movie that's actually out right now called "Keeping Up With the Steins." It's about the competitive world of bar mitzvahs.

I have another movie (coming out) called "Smokin' Aces" and it's such an incredible role for me. I got to play a a magician-turned-gangster-turned-snitch. It's certainly the farthest away from me physically that I've ever gotten and a real chance to dig into a character and show the tragedy of a life that had so much promise but who ultimately is an incredibly flawed man.

I find it fascinating and really enjoyable to play these tragically flawed characters right now. They're just the most juicy to me.

Q: Is it hard to switch back and forth from Ari?

Piven: That's what actors live for, is to mix it up and to extend themselves. That's what makes it so exciting for all of us. I don't want to retread over the same territory.

Q: Are you interested in writing or directing?

Piven: I'd love being part of the process more. I came into this late in the game, into "Entourage." The last time I did TV I was a producer of my own show called "Cupid" on ABC. We shot for a season and it was just an amazing learning experience. Then I had to shift into another mode, which is just an actor for hire. I really want to contribute, so I try to pitch things whenever I can. All you can do is throw things out into the universe and hope that maybe, in the spirit of collaboration, they will at least be received in a good way.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Jeremy Piven talks about Mark Wahlberg's crew, 'Fat Pig' and Hollywood desperation.



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HBO
What do you think it is that makes Ari so irresistible for fans?




PIVEN
You know, it's funny, I've never been one to talk my way into getting a role, and I certainly wouldn't be able to articulate well why this character is watchable. I just like doin' it, man. For me, the high is just doing it and letting you see it.

HBO
What about from your perspective -- what is it about the role that appeals to you?

PIVEN
Unfortunately, I've been around this energy for many years in this town, you know. I've come face to face with this energy many times, so I know it in my bones. Maybe that's why I have an inkling of how to make this guy live.

HBO
Still there's something weirdly likeable about him.

PIVEN
Well, that's the beauty of people, you know, the complexity of each person. Even the most angelic person you ever would meet has to have some tragic flaw, no?

That's why I think everyone is interesting in their own way, they really are. I mean, why is it that if you watch a hidden camera, people are still fascinating?

HBO
You live full time in L.A.?

PIVEN
I live in L.A. and Chicago.

HBO
So you haven't really taken up the L.A. lifestyle yourself?

PIVEN
No, I never was that guy.

HBO
Is there anything about the Entourage-style Hollywood life you find attractive?




PIVEN
I think what's attractive is Mark Wahlberg's loyalty, you know? It has a real sense of un-Hollywood to me; the people are very straight to each other. They'll call each other out. Whereas in this town, I think people are very leery of other people, of confrontation, of other people speaking the truth to them.

In Mark's crew, people are going off on each other left and right; there's a lot of history there, and there's family. I think that kind of connection, the authenticity, translates into our show. Whatever Ari say or how abrasive he is, he wants Vinnie's career to explode.

HBO
Vinnie says he could walk away any time...

PIVEN
I think the lack of desperation is why people gravitate toward someone like Vinnie Chase. Because once that desperation takes over, it takes away your strength and power. Vince just doesn't have that need to be there. There's a very authentic air of strength.

HBO
So can you be an actor working in Hollywood and not get sucked in?

PIVEN
I think you can choose any life you want. I think that's kind of what you learn as you get older. You don't have to give in to any one particular lifestyle. If going out and being in the Hollywood scene makes you unhappy, you don't have to do it. You can be an artist and do your own thing and have your friends and not be a part of that. Or you can run in it, have a good a time, see it for what it is - get in and get out.

HBO
Do you feel you've been able to do that?

PIVEN
I feel like it. I really do. I mean, I made myself a promise not to come out here unless I had a job. I was on the stage in Chicago and I was brought out here to do some series TV and then I would go back and immediately do a play. Then when I'd get the call, I'd head back out there. I stayed in Chicago until the moment I had to be out here year round.

I'd do nine months on a series and three doing movies; I crammed thirty-five movies into those hiatuses. I've been working without stopping for a while. So, you know, I'm not immersed in that scene - I've been lucky enough to be busy.

HBO
You've said that you consider yourself a stage actor. What do you see as the differences in the two worlds?

PIVEN
In front of the camera, it's a very precise science. You have to hold in your energy and somehow make it appropriate, and you're shooting out of sequence, so you have to husband your energy throughout the day and explode at the right times.

On stage you have the entire house. You're sitting and breathing the same air. You're being seen from head to toe and you get a running start on the piece. They're quite different beasts.

HBO
Just before filming season two, you starred in Neil LaBute's 'Fat Pig.' Did you find it difficult to pull yourself off that stage?

PIVEN
You know it wasn't. I needed to get out of it, because is was so unbelievably emotionally draining. I was breaking up with a very heavy woman on the beach every night. And, you know, weeping like a bitch. You try breaking up with someone eight shows a week. They had to f**king peel me off that stage. I couldn't do a year of that show.

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Kevin Connolly talks about Perfect 10 models, meeting LeBron and his upcoming directorial debut.

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HBO
A lot has changed for "E" since last season, when he was just Vince's buddy. Was it a different challenge this season, going from playing Pizza Boy to being a Hollywood manager?




CONNOLLY
Eric's in a position where he's really coming into his own, both personally and professionally, and any aspect of self-actualization, even in a show as comedic as ours, is always exciting to play. E's still not fully aware of his power, but it's a feeling out process so to speak, and hopefully one that's entertaining and engaging.

HBO
What's it like going head-to-head with Ari?

CONNOLLY
It's like bare-knuckle boxing, and Ari's not above throwing a low blow. Acting in a scene where there's any type of conflict is always fun, and E and Ari aren't always --hardly ever-- on the same page about what's best for Vince. So it's an exciting dynamic: me as this guy's childhood friend who knows him better then anyone in the world but who's not yet necessarily the most savvy when it comes to the industry, and the epitome of a Hollywood Shark who actually does have an incredible business sense and acumen. And those two guys are attempting to do what's best for Vince and his career. It's easy to establish that energy with Jeremy.

HBO
What's been your favorite part about Eric's new role, and his new storylines?

CONNOLLY
Besides the love scenes with the Perfect 10 model? Seriously, in general it's the opportunity to be a part of the show and specifically the writing. It's tough in this business to find quality writing, and Doug Ellin & co. have really kicked it up a notch this season and come correct with both the funny and the introduction of real conflict and stakes about Vince's career and the guys' friendships.

Eric's coming into his own and beginning to make business moves with confidence, (such as the meeting with Harvey in "The Sundance Kids", trying to make things right with the RJ at the ComiCon), and it's great to play a character with real ambition succeeding on some fronts and failing on others and learning throughout the process. It's definitely wider in scope this go round for everyone involved.

HBO
What do you like best about the Hollywood lifestyle? And what are the drawbacks?

CONNOLLY
Success like what we're experiencing with the show is akin to catching lightning in a bottle; drawbacks are non-existent. The biggest perk would have to be the opportunity to present at the ESPYs and getting to meet all of the superstars of sports. Getting the chance to talk to the likes of LeBron James and Donovan McNabb, guys I follow week in and week out and who are so dominant in the field of athletics isn't something that happens often, and to find out that these guys are such fans of the show, because if the Entourage phenomenon exists anywhere, it's in the realm of professional sports.

The ESPYs taped just after the Fight Night episode. I met Donovan McNabb and I'm playing the role of fan boy, thinking this guy has no idea who I am, and the first thing he asks me is why Turtle had to lose in the first round of the Fight Night tournament, which completely blew me away. And being mentioned on Pardon the Interruption, arguably the greatest show on Television not on HBO, by hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, definitely is a high point.

HBO
Do fans stop you in the street?

CONNOLLY
Entourage is almost required watching in LA, and everyone seems to have story suggestions for the show itself, which is amazing because it makes you realize the show's really struck a chord and found its audience.




HBO
This season, Vince said that he could hang it all up and go home. Do you think you could?

CONNOLLY
Well I certainly feel as if I've been blessed professionally and personally, but I've still got moves I'd like to make. I'm not done yet, and the people I know who've had real success in this industry seldom settle or rest on their laurels, so I'm trying to keep busy and maintain the momentum that the show has provided.

HBO
You're in Europe right now. What are some of your other plans for your hiatus?

CONNOLLY
Europe was just a chance to recharge the batteries; I'm currently in pre-production on my feature film directorial debut, 'Gardner of Eden,' and it's going to be the most challenging undertaking of my professional life, without a doubt.

HBO
What's the movie about?

CONNOLLY
The film's a throwback to those films of the '70s that deal with lonely, flawed protagonists struggling to cement a sense of purpose in the world; it's dramatic but has elements of black comedy. I previously directed 'Whatever We Do,' a short film that was blessed with a phenomenal cast, but the feature length is a beast unto itself. It's an independent production and we're shooting in NYC and Jersey, so there's definitely some Queens Boulevard parallels going on. Hopefully I won't start wearing stained undershirts and referring to people as "suits".

HBO
What feels more like home now - New York or LA?

CONNOLLY
I've been in LA going on 12 years, so I have to consider it home now, but I definitely miss the energy of NY. Besides the fact that my family is still New York-based, I miss being able to just hop on the train and go to a Yankees game, and I'm a sucker for good theatre, something LA's sorely lacking. But it's 75 and sunny in November here, and there, not so much, so I guess it's a trade-off.

[Fraz]

Entourage's Adrian Grenier talks about girls, free sunglasses and giving up Hollywood.


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HBO
Tell us a little about what's going on with Vince in the upcoming season.




GRENIER
Bigger and better things. More money. More girls. More drama. He does have a love interest that comes back from his past - a celebrity who he was once with. He does settle down a little bit.

HBO
Now that the show is in its second season, do you notice a difference on the set?

GRENIER
It's exciting, because we're all more confident, more comfortable in our characters' shoes. And our producers and the writers are really confident and they're stepping it up a notch. As Kevin Connolly says, this season is wider in scope.

The locations and the production is more ambitious, but also our relationships, the subtleties are revealed and expanded upon.

HBO
Vince is a Hollywood natural, everything seems to come easy to him. Do you feel that way yourself?

GRENIER
I think that Vince has a lot of me in him. Vince's attitude is he respects and understands where he came from and his roots. And while exploring the superficial world of Hollywood, he has to keep grounded. And he understands that if it all goes away, he could still go home to his friends and he could still be happy, because that's the most important thing. All the toys and all the parties and the girls are not that important.

HBO
So you could hang it all up and go home?

GRENIER
Could I? Sure. I don't want to. As Vince says about his toys, "I don't need 'em, but I like 'em."

HBO
Do you really hang out with your on-screen entourage?

GRENIER
We go out every once and a while. We've been working a lot, so we haven't had a lot of time to go nutty. But guaranteed, once this thing is over, you'll see a lot of us out together.

HBO
When you look at your life compared to a year or two ago, do you see much difference?




GRENIER
There's a lot more free stuff. I keep getting sunglasses. I don't wear sunglasses, but I feel like I have to take them.

HBO
What do you like about the Hollywood lifestyle?

GRENIER
I haven't really accepted it yet. It's all pretty new. I'm wary of getting too used to it, because you start expecting things. You start becoming coated with Diva-ness.

I recognize now how celebrities I've known become divas, because they get pampered so much. They get babied so much, they get used to it. And then, when they don't get something, they cry. Ultimately, we're all just little children inside, and when you start spoiling little kids, they whine when they don't get what they expect.

HBO
Have you given thought to what you're going to do when you're on your hiatus from filming?

GRENIER
I have, I'm going to direct a short film I wrote, in July. And I actually bought a house in Brooklyn, which I'm going to be renovating. And I'll probably play some shows with my band.

HBO
The Honey Brothers?

GRENIER
The Honey Brothers.

HBO
What kind of music does your band play?

GRENIER
We are the masters of Appalachian glam rock, according to the Village Voice. We're coming out with an album, so we'll be out promoting it.

HBO
So your base is still New York?

GRENIER
I'm one with New York and New York is one with me. I grew up there; there's no escaping it. We're like Siamese twins, if you separate us, I'll die.

[Fraz]

Kevin Dillon talks about Mickey Rourke, club-hopping with the boys and his future bride.


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HBO
Johnny Drama has emerged as something of a fan favorite. Can you tell us a little about what's going on with your character this season?




DILLON
Well, there's a lot going on, actually. Doug (Ellin) has written some great stuff, and I'm running with it. Drama's a likeable guy - he's a bit of a screw-up, but he's got a career, and he's in kind of a downward portion of it right now. [LAUGHTER] But he actually gets a little job this season.

HBO
We're learning a bit more about the characters as the series progresses. Do you have a backstory of Drama's life in your head?

DILLON
Yeah, we all kind of figured out our characters' backstories. Drama came out to LA first, and then the other guys came out afterwards. Vince actually just came out for a visit one weekend - this was mentioned in the script at one point - and he got a job immediately, a commercial. So he kind of got lucky, got a big break, and he just never turned back. But, you know, Johnny's career has been hurting for a while.

HBO
How close would you say you are to living the classic Hollywood actor lifestyle yourself?

DILLON
You know, I'm having more successes. But I've had times where getting jobs wasn't so easy, long dry spells. And you get worried.

HBO
And what about right now? Do you feel like you can kind of relax poolside? Can you take it easy a little bit?

DILLON
Yeah, this is as good as it gets. I'm just having a great time. And it's really nice to get this kind of writing. I love all that.

HBO
The writers really seem to enjoy writing for Drama.

DILLON
Sometimes it's more fun. I don't get the romantic storylines, really. But I do get funny storylines.

HBO
How close do you think the show's version of LA is to what it's really like out there?

DILLON
It's all taken from experiences that the writers have had. Even Mark Wahlberg - he still travels in packs, eight or nine people.

HBO
Is it as fun as it all looks? This is what America wants to know.




DILLON
It is fun, I guess. But I never really got into an entourage... Once in a while I'll hang out with Mark and his friends. Back in the day I used to hang out in Mickey Rourke's crew

HBO
Do you still go out?

DILLON
I still go out. Kevin Connolly, Jerry Ferrara and Adrian, we'll all go see what's going on. Connolly'll say, there are these parties you gotta go check out, you gotta come on by, we'll go out to Prey. So the four of us will go out together. We are really tight - we actually hang out together.

HBO
So you're really living the life, going out to Prey and all that?

DILLON
Yeah, I mean, let's call it research, shall we? [LAUGHTER]

HBO
Are you surprised that you like that crew as much as you do?

DILLON
Yeah, I think it is unusual. I mean, I get along with my fellow actors, and I usually like 'em too. But it's unusual when you become this tight, you know what I mean? We're really all good buddies, we hang out together and have a great time. And it makes everything real on screen.

HBO
Now is there anything you're looking forward to during your hiatus?

DILLON
I'm pretty shot. I'm looking forward to downtime, you know? But I may go to Europe and play around there for a while.

I just got engaged, and my fiancée's from Scotland.

HBO
Wow, Congratulations. But the guys'll stop calling you now.

DILLON
Well, I'll still get out there once in a while. I'll stick it out with the boys once in a while. We gotta do a little research in the clubs. [LAUGHTER]

[Fraz]

Entourage's Jerry Ferrara talks about the LA lifestyle, free sneakers and the joys of room service.

http://www.hbo.com/entourage/img/252x190/actor/season02/jerryferrara_252.jpg


HBO
Congratulations on the show and getting picked up for another season.




FERRARA
Oh, thank God. When I heard that, I did the same dance that Ari does in the Sundance episode. I just went crazy - it was great. It's too much fun to stop right now, it really is.

HBO
So you're looking forward to going back to work for next season?

FERRARA
Honestly, I wish I had work tomorrow. I hate not working and I hate being off. Now that I've actually tasted steady work and seen how much fun it is, I'm dying to get back to it. We wrapped up a month and a half ago, and I've been looking at some other jobs, but there's just nothing that has really interested me yet. I'm a little spoiled now, I think.

HBO
You'll get some time before heading back, though?

FERRARA
I'm guessing we won't have to start getting ready till the beginning of next year again. We won't stop airing till October and then you know you want to give Doug Ellin and all those other guys enough time to keep these scripts amazing as they are so. Probably next year, early next year.

HBO
Tell us a little about the arc that Turtle has been living in the second season.

FERRARA
Well, the first season was great, but you know it's hard when you're dealing with five characters to get a lot of story equally for everybody. And this season they've just done an unbelievable job at that. And I think Turtle's really grown up a little bit. I mean he's still the jokester, horny, girl- chasing guy that he is, but he was dealing with a lot more responsibility when Eric became the manager. So I think now everyone's starting to see what Turtle actually does. He's the go-to guy. You know, you need something, he'll get it for you - whether it's legal or illegal.

HBO
It seems that your character has gotten a little more story, not just screen time, but a little more back story and character development.

FERRARA
Oh, definitely, without a doubt. I actually think I've been on the screen less but the stuff that I'm on the screen for now has more of a purpose, which is phenomenal to have. Everybody kind of has their thing on the show, a job or at least what they do in day-to-day life. This season, for me it was big when I came through with all that food from New York. That shows you why I'm there.

HBO
So how about yourself, have you started to live a little of the high living LA lifestyle yet?

FERRARA
Well, I wouldn't say that I'm living the Hollywood lifestyle. It's just not really my style at all. I'm kind of a homebody. I'm good with staying home and watching movies and just hanging out. But definitely it's a lot easier to get into clubs, let's just say that.




So, I have put that to good use. And we hang out together even when we're not working. There might be a few weeks in between, but I'll call some of those guys up and say let's get it going tonight, and we'll go out. It's a lot of fun. I'm not trapped in the Hollywood life though, that's definitely not my style.

HBO
But you've been out there for a while now?

FERRARA
Oh yeah, I've been out in LA for about five years now. So I kind of know the lay of the land. I didn't like it initially but now I love it, I gotta say. It's probably because I'm working, but I love it.

HBO
What's the best thing about living out there?

FERRARA
I gotta say being outside. Besides work, which is what I love doing, the weather is just so good out here. Literally you just wake up and it's hard to be in a bad mood. You know the sun is always shining. Everything's just a lot - I don't know - prettier out here. Girls included.

HBO
You must be enjoying a few of the fringe benefits of being a working actor in LA.

FERRARA
Well you know what it is, it's just weird because when you're broke, you're with the same pair of sneakers for two years. But once you get a little bit of money and you start doing well, everyone sends you s*** for free.

I still can't really grasp this concept. I mean, I haven't paid for a pair of sneakers in a year and a half. I can't understand it. And I have like two hundred pairs now, so I give some to my friends. It's just unbelievable. Four years ago I was wearing the same Nikes, cleaning them up with Clorox bleach cleaner.

HBO
And now you've got enough money to buy your own shoes.

FERRARA
Yeah. And I don't have to, that's the thing. I stole all my clothes from wardrobe and I'm good.

HBO
So you feel like you live a pretty quiet life. Is there anybody out there you think really has the LA thing nailed?

FERRARA
I wouldn't say they have the LA thing nailed, but Kevin Connolly has been living in LA for quite some time. He's not trapped in that Hollywood lifestyle either, but Kevin just knows everybody. He literally knows everybody in LA. And he's definitely seen a lot of that stuff, I'm sure.

HBO
So is he kind of the ringleader when you guys go out?

FERRARA
Well, he's not the ringleader, but if we're looking to go out, we're like, Kevin, where should we go? Or, what's good? He's been to every restaurant and every club. He knows LA, so he's the guy to ask.

HBO
Were you surprised that you ended up liking those guys?

FERRARA
Before the show I was worried about it, because you never know when you're meeting someone for the first time what they're gonna be like, or if you're gonna get along. But the minute we met, we started talking and it was just on. We all had a very similar upbringing. We're all from somewhere in New York, and that's a whole different way of life than LA. So we had that in common right off the bat. And they're just such good guys, they're just real people. We have a ball when we work. So I wasn't surprised but I was relieved, let's just say.

HBO
On the show, there's a lot of talk about making it, how far you'd be willing to go and if you could give it all up. Was there a point for you when you were wondering if this acting thing was going to work out, and what you'd do if not?

FERRARA
You know, I gotta say, and this is a truthful answer, never once did I ever think about packing my stuff up and going home. That just wasn't an option for me, because I wouldn't be satisfied until I was working. This is the only thing that I think would make me ultimately happy. I'm sure that I could do a lot of other things that I would be satisfied with. But this really gives me such a fulfillment that seems like nothing I've ever had before. I'm a huge sports fan, and I always equate everything in my life to sports. I equate working on this show to playing shortstop for the Yankees. That's how good it is for me.

HBO
[LAUGHS] I'm glad that you're still staying with the New York teams at least.

FERRARA
Oh, absolutely. I'm not a frontrunner. I know I have my Yankees, who are a great team, though not doing that great now. And I'm a Knick fan so I get beat up around basketball season. But I go down with the ship.

HBO
A lot of the other guys pointed to you and said, the thing about Jerry is, the guy you see on screen, he's always smiling, he's a great guy, he's really easy to get along with. And he's the same guy that he is when you're just hanging out. Do people expect you to be like Turtle when they meet you?

FERRARA
Oh, absolutely. I actually think people are a little disappointed [LAUGHS]. I mean I am very much like that guy in the sense that that I'm from New York, I have the same group of friends from when I was a kid, and if you're my good friend, there's nothing that I won't do for you. I'll do anything in the world. I'll die for you. But I'm different in that I'm not as outgoing or as outspoken as Turtle. I'm definitely way more shy than he is, especially with women. If I'm first meeting you, you'll think I'm just this shy, quiet kid. But once you get to know me, then the Turtle comes out.

HBO
Do you find it hard to be an actor if you're shy?

FERRARA
No, because it's a whole different kind of shyness. With acting, I'm not shy because it's almost like an excuse to do these things. If I have to go hit on some girl and make a complete fool out of myself, which is something I'd never do in real life - just walk up to some girl and ask her to have sex - I'd never, ever do that in real life. Ever. But you know as an actor, doing it on a TV show, it's just entertainment. It's like a get out of jail free card. [LAUGHTER] So it's kind of liberating. I live a little vicariously through the character. But I'm definitely fifty-fifty split down the middle about how much I'm like him.

HBO
Have people been coming out of the woodwork since you've been on Entourage?




FERRARA
Well, not really. There are some situations where people that you vaguely knew back in high school, or a few years ago, will invite you over to dinner, and I don't even know where they live. But it's not a crazy situation where they're coming out of the woodwork. Every now and then I'll hear, "I saw so-and-so the other day, he said to tell you hello and we've got to hang out." I'm like, who? Honestly I don't know who that is, I'm not even being a jerk. I really don't know who that is. [LAUGHS]

HBO
Do you get back to New York very often?

FERRARA
I do. I was actually just there for about a month and a half and I'm probably gonna go back again in about two weeks. I don't get back as much as I would like, because you really do have to put some time in LA in order to find the good stuff to work on. But I'm always back at least three, four times a year. You know my whole family, all my friends are still back in Brooklyn. So as long as they're there, I'll be there.

HBO
So you're scouting around for interesting work?

FERRARA
Yeah, I'm just going through the motions again. I've definitely been allotted good opportunities since this show. People are more familiar with me and with my work, so things are a little bit easier. But I really just have to love something to do it. I guess I'm kind of like the Vince character in that sense. Money really doesn't faze me. I mean it's nice, everybody wants it. But I wouldn't do some suck ass project for a ton of money. I'll probably end up doing a really good one for s*** money before that.

HBO
What kinds of projects interest you now?

FERRARA
I'm looking for something that, after I read the script, I'm just talking about it to everybody. That's how I know I'm really into something. And it hasn't really happened yet.

HBO
What about that title that comes up on your IMDB profile, Brooklyn Rules?

FERRARA
Yeah, that title has actually changed several times, and it may change again. That was something that actually paralleled the show. We finished up last season with Vince and all of us going back to Queens to do a movie called Queens Boulevard, back to the neighborhood where we're from. The day after we wrapped the first season of Entourage, I actually got on a plane and left for Brooklyn, then filmed a movie in my neighborhood.

HBO
What was that like - the actual experience of 'going home again'?

FERRARA
That was a phenomenal experience. The script is unbelievable. I'm really snobby and bitchy when it comes to stuff that deals with my friends and my neighborhood, but this movie is right on. I actually saw it for the first time recently, and this movie holds up. I'm very proud of it.

HBO
Was it written by a Brooklyn guy?

FERRARA
It's written by a Brooklyn guy and it's written by an HBO guy -Terence Winter, who writes for the Sopranos.

Terry took home two Emmys® for the Sopranos, and he's a Brooklyn guy, born and raised there. I think he still lives there. He's kind of back and forth to LA, but he knows that world well. And he wrote and amazing, amazing script.

HBO
What else have you got planned for your time off from the show?

FERRARA
We're still actually promoting the show. I just did Carson Daly and next up is Jimmy Kimmel. Then I think I go back to New York to do Regis. I'm just gonna make the most of this man. You know, never in my life did I think I'd' get the chance to sit down with Regis and talk. [LAUGHTER] So I'm just gonna make the most out of this and just have a good time. I'll still try and find something else good to work on, but I'm not in a rush. I'm not desperate to work. I could use a little relaxation after working for six months. I want to keep delivering a good show next year, so at the least I'll be well rested for that.

HBO
It seems like every actor has some far-flung vacation planned. Will you go anywhere out of the ordinary?

FERRARA
I'm not really a big traveling guy. I'm terrified of flying, so just my New York and LA trips put me out for days. So I'm not really gonna jump on a plane and go head to the south of France or something.

HBO
Are there any perks to all the LA-NY travel, all the stuff you do to promote the show?

FERRARA
I'm obsessed with room service. I just think room service is the coolest thing ever. So luckily enough, when we go on some of these trips, I get to stay in a hotel and we get a little bit of cash on the room to order food and stuff like that. So it's just a good feeling to sit down on a bed in a nice hotel and just be like, I'm gonna order ice cream and pancakes and chicken fingers and just go nuts.

And I don't have to pay for it. So to me, you put me in a nice hotel, I'm happy. I just love the whole process of hotels and room service. You just feel like you're being taken care of. Who doesn't want that?

HBO
Well it will be real interesting to see where the show takes you next. And it seems like with time, the interest in the show is getting beyond some of the Hollywood stuff and has become a little bit more about the characters.

FERRARA
Yeah, I think that's starting to happen. The first season everybody was obsessed with Mark Wahlberg's involvement - is he gonna be in the show, is he gonna direct episodes, stuff like that. And rightfully so - the kid's a gigantic movie star. And people still want to talk to Mark - they go nuts for that guy. But we've kind of grown up a little bit, and we got our own personality now. So people are a little more interested in the show itself, and that's all you hope for. That's what Mark's hoping for too.

[Fraz]

Series creator Doug Ellin talks about the guys who bring Entourage to life.

HBO
What's going on with the Entourage boys this season?




ELLIN
Well, everybody is just developing a little more, you know, everybody is growing, getting bigger movies, more serious relationships with girls. Turtle is even finding his way into a possible career.

HBO
Are you making a deliberate effort to flesh out the motivations of characters like Ari?

ELLIN
Yeah, absolutely. From day one, though, the shades were there, but we definitely want to make it crystal clear that this guy isn't just a low life agent. He has other sides - he has his family life, and has cares and concerns, you know, besides making money. So, yeah, this year we definitely focused on character building. We only had eight last year to develop the guys.

HBO
What do you think it is about Ari? Why do you think people are so fascinated by him?

ELLIN
I think Piven brings a likeability factor to an asshole that very few people can do, you know. He makes him feel very real, and actually makes you believe that he cares while saying vulgar and grotesque things all the time. So I think that's what makes people relate to him. Underneath it all, he's probably a good guy. We don't see him cheating on his wife, we just hear him talking about it. And all his rants are kind of just empty speech, you know. At the end of the day he comes through. So I think people can relate to him as a real person.

HBO
A lot of people say they're tired of Hollywood insider stuff, yet they love Entourage.

ELLIN
Yeah, absolutely. The show is meant to be much closer to 'Diner' than to 'The Player.' It's not supposed to be a cynical look at Hollywood, it's supposed to be a look at friendship, and Hollywood just happens to be the backdrop. To me, these guys could be real estate brokers, they could be investment bankers, they could be medical interns. It's just about four friends, and how they're all trying to make it.

HBO
So how did you end up deciding to set it in Hollywood?

ELLIN
Well, we thought that was a great setting that you haven't seen. We thought, where could you take these four guys--where is a great place to take four childhood friends where they could have the keys to the kingdom? And that's what made it a Hollywood story.

HBO
Do you find it easy, personally, to come up with these storylines? Do you feel like it's all around you?

ELLIN
Nothing is ever easy. We've certainly worked really hard this year. But yeah, most of these stories come out of our lives. And I've taken character traits from people I've grown up with, so that makes it obviously an easier thing as well. We try to just take very real life situations and turn them into something--hopefully something comedic and dramatic.




HBO
Is there more drama on the horizon?

ELLIN
Yeah, yeah. Not serious like the dark underbelly of the world, but there is serious stuff. Relationships and things like that. Again, what we always try to go for is that 'Diner' feel, that 'Swingers' feel, just guys and their issues. Mid-twenties guys who are trying to figure out what it is they really want to do with their lives, who they want to spend their lives with.

HBO
You've said that you and the cast clicked from day one. Give us some quick impressions of the guys, starting with Piven. Why did you like him for the role?

ELLIN
The guy is just a genius comedically, but he also brings that reality to it that doesn't make it shtick-y, you know. He just captures it, he really captures it, and you can believe that everything he's saying is really true to life.

HBO
What about Adrian?

ELLIN
Adrian is the only guy in this town that was not a movie star when we started shooting that could have played this role. He brings that incredible believability to it-- it's sort of who he is in real life. He doesn't seem to care that much, but he does. He just kind of glides through life very, very smoothly.

HBO
What about Kevin Connolly?

ELLIN
Kevin Connolly is just like the every man. You know, everybody has got a friend like Connolly - - the loyal, always-there-for-you kind of guy.

HBO
So is that you?

ELLIN
They're all kind of me in some way, besides maybe Turtle. [LAUGHTER] He's probably the closest one to me, though, yeah.

HBO
And what about Kevin Dillon?

ELLIN
Kevin Dillon is a fricking genius, I mean, he's off the charts. What is so amazing about him is that he brings sympathy to that role, and like you were talking about before, it's like the Hollywood show, but he makes that relatable. Everybody knows the guy who's got the better looking brother, or the rich brother, and he makes every moment in this show have sympathy to it, you know, and you feel for the guy. Even if it's just something about an audition, you really care about him. And that's really Kevin bringing that to it. He is just a tremendous, tremendously talented guy.

HBO
And Jerry?

ELLIN
Jerry is also the real deal-- that's exactly what he is, off camera and on. He's just always got a smile on his face, always makes everybody else smile. So he's that guy who can get away with really being the leach of the group. There are very few people that could get away with that and you'd still go, I don't hate this kid. He's cute and loveable, you don't get mad at him, you want to hug him.

HBO
So have you embraced the Hollywood lifestyle? Do you live like these guys?

ELLIN
Not at all. I met my wife the day I moved out here, and I've been married for eight years now. So I'm not a big club scene goer or anything like that. But I've been friends with all these guys, and I listen, you know, to what they're doing.

HBO
What would you say you like the most about having some success in Hollywood?

ELLIN
You know what, the best thing to me is I can feed my kids. That's great for me. My kids and my dogs.

[Fraz]

BY VERNE GAY
STAFF WRITER

Let's just get right to it and tell you what happens in the season premiere of "Entourage," bowing Sunday (HBO at 10 p.m.) after a nine-month absence.
Agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) is back snugly in his shark-skin suits, tie straightened, off the booze, and still scattering profanity with the abandon of a thug rapper.
Hollywood hunk Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier) is sooo beyond Mandy Moore that it's almost like she never existed. The three other members of his entourage -- Johnny "Drama" Chase (Kevin Dillon), Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) and Eric "E" Murphy (Kevin Connolly) are here too. Naturally, they're nestled right back in the comfortable little habits that quite a few guys with an unlimited supply of Cristal vodka and beautiful and very unattached women would happily nestle into as well.
"Aquaman?" Ah, yes, "Aquaman:" Well, the blockbuster is finally released but just as ...

Change and no change
Wait. That's enough. Critical discretion and a realization that anyone reading this piece will watch anyway -- and then watch again and again -- dispenses the need to say anything further. But you get the idea: On "Entourage," things change, and things remain absolutely the same. Perhaps right on the cusp of the Big Time -- and as the third season begins, this could finally be the Big Time -- HBO and the people behind "Entourage" could hardly be described as dummkopfs. So why futz around with what's worked in the past?
Indeed, for those who believe all the press (and you do, don't you?), "Entourage's" moment has arrived. The show recently hit the cover of Entertainment Weekly for the first time, and if the bible of buzz says you got buzz, then you indisputably got buzz. And for the hard-core aficionado -- ranging from that 16-year-old kid next door to a large segment of Hollywood, Calif., which appears to have adopted "Entourage" as its own -- this is no longer a "show" but a "state of mind."
In "Entourage," four lifelong buddies originally from Queens (a movie star and his three homeboys) move easily through a world of no consequences and endless opportunities (Hollywood, of course), where no one ever bothers about the price of gas, or the war in Iraq, or the conga line of worries that beset everyone else out there in the real world.
But can "Entourage" tap that bubbling wellspring of buzz and become the breakout hit -- comedy or otherwise -- that has eluded HBO since "Sex and the City" bowed out two years ago?
We're about to learn the answer.
Reached on his cell phone a week ago, "Entourage" creator/writer Doug Ellin -- the Merrick native who loosely modeled this show on Mark Wahlberg as well as four boyhood Long Island buddies -- sounds convincingly like someone who has given no thought to this question partly because he has had no time to. Threading through L.A. traffic with a very young son squabbling in the back seat, Ellin sounds exactly like a guy for whom sleep has become a luxury.
"Been doing nothing but work, seven days a week since last August," he says, his voice bleeding exhaustion. "There's definitely some fatigue, but it's good, and it's a fun show to do."

New episode locations
Of the new season, Ellin says there will be "nothing radically different. The shows are getting bigger, and we're trying to get to some more locations. We go to Las Vegas this year... . New York? I pray to go there. I'd like to do the whole fourth season in New York. Would love to ... it would" -- he admits -- "probably be hard." (Translation: Too much $$$.)
And speaking of numbers, what about those of "Entourage?" The Sunday telecast averaged just around two million-or-so in '05, which would barely qualify for a renewal on PAX. ("Sex and the City," by comparison, averaged around 6 million.)
"HBO really doesn't worry about our numbers," Ellin insists, partly "because a show like ours is viewed over and over again by our younger audience -- they'll watch on demand 10 or 15 times.
"But me? Sure. I'd like to creep up and get as close to 'The Sopranos' as we can get. That's the goal."
HBO will provide a little helping hand. This season's final six episodes (out of a total of 20) are reportedly going to be held back until January 2007, when they will be scheduled following the final eight episodes of "The Sopranos." ("We cannot confirm that yet," said an HBO representative.) While "Sopranos" fans haven't been shy about their unhappiness with its recently concluded season, they will certainly be around for the final eight -- then stick around for "Entourage" as well, or at least that's the plan.
For those in need of a memory jog, last year ended on a particularly high note -- the finale was hands down the season's best -- when the abominable blowhard, Ari, was fired by his boss, uber-talent-agent Terence (Malcolm McDowell) who found out his heir apparent was plotting to effectively overthrow him. (A cobra himself, Terence was plotting to steal Vince, Ari's major client, but that's another story.) Ari hit bottom hard, and was forced to basically live out of the back seat of long-suffering assistant, Lloyd's (Rex Lee), cheapo domestic car, while swigging hooch out of a paper bag.
Meanwhile, lovelorn Vince -- distraught after his "Aquaman" co-star Moore dumped him for her ex-bimbo-beau -- decided to tell director James Cameron he was quitting the movie. That plan changed after Vince learned the director had ordered bobblehead dolls in his likeness.
As mentioned, Sunday's episode picks up just as "Aquaman" is about to be released. Ari has moved back home, as well as to a new office in a building where the elevator has a habit of breaking down. Vince's biggest challenge is in trying to figure out who to bring to the "Aquaman" premiere; his mom, back home in Queens, gets his vote (hence the episode title, "Aquamom.") And without giving too much away, an old friend of Vince and the boys turns up in episode three ("Dominated"). He's just out of prison and -- like Moore from last season -- threatens to discombobulate the absurdly exquisite camaraderie of the four amigos.
Yes, we can tell you there are many more cameos -- James Woods has a terrific one Sunday -- while other well-traveled pros (Bruno Kirby, Martin Landau) have extended roles later in the season. Landau's turn should be most interesting: He's a down-on-his-luck movie producer who's trying to make a comeback.
What could keep "Entourage" from becoming the breakout that HBO and others have decided it will become? We can offer at least two reasons. Foremost, "Entourage" -- consider yourself warned -- can be and often is a brutally scatological show. For some viewers, that's a huge turnoff.
Second, "Entourage's" gentle skewering of Hollywood is all a sham. In actual fact, this show loves the place, with all its flash, excess, silliness, selfishness and narcissism. That, too, can be a turnoff.
Nevertheless, here's our bet: This is the year of "Entourage." The break-out is about to begin.

[Fraz]

Using the Internet, HBO's 'Entourage' Finds New Ways to Hook Its Fans
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By LIA MILLER
Published: June 5, 2006
HBO, as part of its campaign to promote the coming third season of its popular comedy "Entourage," which starts this Sunday, is offering Internet users the chance to undergo a nerve-racking job interview with the cutthroat Hollywood agent Ari Gold, played by Jeremy Piven.

"Entourage" is a biting satire that follows the story of the rising film star Vincent Chase, who comes to Hollywood via Queens with his brother and two friends to become an actor, with the help of his agent, the fast-talking Mr. Gold.

Deep Focus, the Brooklyn-based online marketing agency that works frequently with HBO, geared the campaign to the show's core fan base of young, Internet-aware viewers.

In the online interactive interview, which is at interviewwithari.com, Mr. Piven taped several hours of questions and responses. After users log on to the site and register for the interview, they are shown into Ari Gold's office, where he is seated at his desk. The applicant types into a dialogue window and elicits spoken responses from Mr. Gold, like "So here's your chance: What do you want to say to the master?" and "That sounds like we're on the same page, baby."

Ian Schafer, the founder and chief executive of Deep Focus, said that Mr. Piven, whose character is known for his put-downs and one-liners, ad-libbed much of the taping.

Another part of the campaign is a contest, called MyEntourage, that works with the social Web site MySpace.com. Fans must find three other friends, build a Web site around their own personal entourage and encourage their friends to link to it. HBO, a unit of Time Warner, will choose finalists, and users of MySpace.com will vote for the most popular entourage. Each winner gets a car and a weekend trip to Los Angeles, where the group will be filmed paparazzi-style, like the characters on the show. LIA MILLER

[Fraz]

'Entourage' settles in
Posted 6/1/2006

http://images.usatoday.com/life/_photos/2006/06/02/entourage-large.jpg

By Bill Keveney, USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES — From the Hollywood mansion that serves as the fictional home of HBO's Entourage, you can see the series depicted on a real billboard.
The comedy about rising movie star Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his New York boyhood buddies kicks off its third season June 11 (10 ET/PT). And as the show's visibility has grown, particularly in the entertainment world, the sitcom seems less a case of art imitating life than paralleling it — and even influencing it.

In an episode last year, Bono gave a birthday shout-out to actor Johnny "Drama" Chase (Kevin Dillon), Vince's far-less-famous brother, at an actual U2 concert. Talent agents have been known to discuss the make-believe antics of Entourage agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) even as some field more job offers for the real-life actors. And location shoots — ranging from Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive to a West Hollywood coffee shop — have become more likely to be interrupted by passersby who call out to the characters.

Jerry Ferrara, who plays Turtle, the Brooklyn-to-the-core driver, says that during a recent shoot at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, "all 250 people started screaming 'Turtle.' I felt like I was dreaming."

With Sex and the City gone, Entourage is HBO's next great comedy hope. The critically praised series' audience rose as last season ended. "We are thrilled with the way the show has been growing creatively," HBO entertainment president Carolyn Strauss says.

Nevertheless, Entourage has far to go to fill Sex's Manolo Blahniks in the ratings. Its largest audiences have yet to hit 3 million viewers; Sex regularly doubled that number, and its 2004 finale topped 10 million.

But Strauss says the show is generating buzz both inside and outside the entertainment business, important for a subscriber-based network. "It's that kind of show that seems in the offseason to pick up momentum and collect new viewers," she says.

Band of brothers

Entourage, based on executive producer Mark Wahlberg's experiences as a star, already is a survivor in a sea of sunken behind-the-scenes takes on Hollywood, including HBO's The Comeback. Perhaps that's because, as creator Doug Ellin contends, Entourage is more about the relationships among a group of likable guys than showbiz minutiae. "It's not a Hollywood show. It's a show about friendship," he says. "I watched Diner 400 times. That was the tone I wanted."

But the real Hollywood always figures into the calculation. When deciding how to handle the box-office fate of Vince's film, Aquaman, Ellin had to consider Titanic director James Cameron, who plays himself as Aquaman's director. "You don't want to make (Cameron) have a bad movie," he says.

The season explores how the guys deal with success' twists and turns. Relationships evolve, including the rivalry between Ari and Vince's smart but green manager, Eric (Kevin Connolly). And viewers will see how Ari relates to his wife and daughter at home.

James Woods plays an over-the-top media image of himself in the first episode, joining numerous celebs who have portrayed (and occasionally parodied) themselves on the show, including Wahlberg, Jessica Alba, Mandy Moore, Scarlett Johansson, Bob Saget, Gary Busey, Hugh Hefner and the rapper Saigon.

Entourage also serves as a travelogue of chi-chi LA, at the Malibu beachfront, a Lakers game, the Playboy Mansion, the babe-infused Urth Caffe and numerous nightspots.

"There was a fear in the beginning that we'd be too inside," says Piven, whose Ari is rebuilding his career after being booted from his agency. But "people have displayed a hunger for the backstage life of artists. We're being as specific as we can with that world. People within (the business) recognize it. Outside of it, they're curious about it."

Hollywood, a big boy's toy box full of snazzy sports cars, never-ending parties and a sugar high of arm candy, gives the series a fantasy appeal that even wows the cast members. Grenier (who also can be seen in The Devil Wears Prada June 30) says he and his castmates don't have the time or inclination to party as relentlessly as their alter egos do. "Even I watch the show ... and live vicariously through the characters," he says.

Connolly, whose Eric is usually referred to as E, notes the show doesn't focus on Vince's work on set. "Who does live that lifestyle? The guys wake up, eat breakfast, hit golf balls, jump in a $150,000 car, eat a nice dinner, go to a club, grab the hottest girls and bring them back for a party," he says.

Drama weaves into the comedy, but Entourage isn't a satire and doesn't go heavily into the dark side of showbiz. "I think it nails the fun part of Hollywood," he says.

Although the actors may not club as much as their characters, they are hardly strangers to Hollywood nightlife. Connolly dates socialite Nicky Hilton and has been mentioned in celebrity news accounts hitting the town with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.

And they live it up with one another. "Whatever you see on television, how much fun it looks like we're having and how good we get along, times that by 100 when the cameras aren't rolling," says Ferrara, who attended Dillon's recent Las Vegas wedding, as did Connolly.

Doors are opening for cast

The main nightlife planned this Friday before the Memorial Day weekend is a long day-into-night shoot. The four buddies are doing a kitchen breakfast scene in the rented Mediterranean-style manor that snakes up a hillside, offering views from Hollywood to the Pacific. (Twenty episodes are being filmed, 12 of which will run this summer.)

The estate is worth millions, but its décor is hardly a candidate for Architectural Digest. "The main criteria was that it shouldn't feel overdesigned. This suits them more. They're into comfort, not presentation of lifestyle," says director Julian Farino, a filmmaker with a documentary background who pushed for filming in the house's interior rooms rather than creating sets on a soundstage.

Shooting here "makes it so much more real," says Dillon, seated on a patio that overlooks a pool and offers a panorama of the city. For viewers, "it feels like you're there."

For Dillon — brother of actor Matt Dillon —Entourage got a bit too real when he broke his arm during a recent basketball scene. He had a plate and 10 screws put in, and was back two days later for a photo shoot, sans sling. "I'll probably look totally out of it."

All the other breaks have been positive. Grenier says Entourage opened the door to Prada. Dillon and Piven, who earned an Emmy nomination last year, also say it has helped them get roles, Dillon in Poseidon, Piven in Keeping Up with the Steins and the upcoming Smoking Aces. "Now, I'm getting their attention" for meatier roles, Piven says.

The higher profile helps around town, too. "I used to be the guy trying to tip the (nightclub) doorman 10 bucks to get in and having him laugh at me," Ferrara says. "Now I go into a club and I don't have to bring a wallet. The parallels (with the show) are unbelievable."

And helpful. As Grenier deals with his fame, "I'm learning from Vince. He's teaching me all about the do's and don't's of celebrity."

[Fraz]

How great was the first episode. I missed Ari and Lloyd so much.

Oh and dont get me started on the three moms that was classic son manipulation to get Vincent mom to the premiere.

[fishingFORtrout]

I loved the first episode, but I was confused about Mrs. Chase. Drama and Vince are supposed to be half brothers, but in Season 2 Drama implies they share a Dad not a mom (he said something like, "You got YOUR mom's calves and I got Dads). But in this episode Drama says something like "I am your first born"...I'm confused.

[Thriller]

I have never seen an episode of "Entourage" before but I have heard nothing but great things about it so I was like what the hell, and I tuned into the season premiere and man, I'll be coming back again next week. It was very well written and acted and entertaining. I wasn't bored for 1 second!!

[Fraz]

I have never seen an episode of "Entourage" before but I have heard nothing but great things about it so I was like what the hell, and I tuned into the season premiere and man, I'll be coming back again next week. It was very well written and acted and entertaining. I wasn't bored for 1 second!!

You should rent the first two seasons. THe show is only a half hour and it flies by in no time.

By far I found this season it is hitting a high note.

But the past two seasons were excellent.

Love Jessica Alba and Mandy Moore stuff from Season 2.

The past seasons were only 8 episodes season 1 and 13 episodes season 2.

So it only takes 4 hours to watch the first season and only 7 hours to watch the second season and you will be up to speed!

This is the season of Entourage!!!!

[Thriller]

Thanks for the info Fraz!! I'm going to town tomorrow and I'll see if the store has them. :)

[Fraz]

New Episode tonight I cant wait to see this one:D

[Fraz]

Where to begin....

Love the almost famous moment of the show that was fantastic.

I cant help but love Ari and his wife and the demands she makes on him for therapy sessions. I mean his professional life is always on big days she schedules these for. Is it intentional to get his attention?


Love....love the Ducatti moments. Well close to my heart with JB and his cycles. Drama....gotta love HarleyDavidson.

Rolling black outs....stuck in traffic LA baby. Yep that is so true to life it was scary.

It was a great job and poor Lloyd always loyal to Ari! To quote Ari last year final episode.
"Lloyd if I was 20 years younger and like to suck dick. We would so be the power couple"

[mZboredom]

dude, there needs to be more spoilers for this show. it's blowing up and i'm quickly becoming addicted to it. i think i'm actually starting to get more addicted to this show than i did with "the o.c.". it's completely crazy how fast i've grown to love this show.

SO GET MORE SPOILERS please!!!

[Fraz]

Working on spoilers tonight look for them to be posted around 11pm east coast time.

[azuline]

Bringing this up to the first page since there was some interest...

[gokev]

I read somewher that the show will return in March along with the Sopranos(hate that) and also heard that there is definely a season 4 and are discussing and taking about it.
As long as spoilers all i've come across up till now is that Carla Gugino will be starring as Vince's new agent and that her character will be getting in his pants to keep him away from going back to Ari:ninja:...She'll be there for about 5-6 episodes, and that Vince might hire Ari towards the end of the season around episode 7 or 8:) , and also that he will get a role/script he lost before because of Aquaman 2/ WB conflict (the "meddian" script - i don't know how to spell it:froze: ).

[Fraz]

The PART 2 of the season starts Sunday night April 8th.

[Fraz]

This show just makes me laugh every week and I cant decide which character is my favorite I love them all.

[VSOP]

I sooo wish that they would make this into an hour long ep show...
I can't get enough of Entourage... Vince & E compliment each other so well, that you can't not get a kick out of the show.

Also E's Girlfriend needs more screen time. I also like that they have gotten away from the nudity that seemed part of each ep when the show first started, but don't mind hot naked chicks every once and a while taking up some screen space

[mZboredom]

I wonder how Vince & E are going to find the financial backing for Medellin. This show just never stops with great quality every week.

[JillianMarie]

love the show .. dont have HBO at the moment though.. happened to catch two episodes at my friends place... it looks like this season is getting interesting ..... hooks up with the agent? do u think there is any future in that ??

[Fraz]

Oh last episode to funny. Vincent screwing the guys wife for the 60 million dollar check to make his movie. And the guy gave him the go ahead.

So do you think he screws her?

[Catalyst]

Best line of all-time: Now go upstairs and f*ck my wife like the superstar you are. :lol: :up:

[Fraz]

Okay the Mayor of 90210 with the Tranny and the nod to tmz.com to darn funny

[kbear78]

that was hysterical...

[Fraz]

Great ending to the season and Can I say HBO is sad. That I am cancelling my service till this show comes back or the AP Vamp show starts.