Behind the Character: ‘Entourage's' Jeremy Piven Explains How He Becomes Ari Gold [EXCLUSIVE]
What is it like channeling "Entourage's" über agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold?
"I pretend like I have just been rear-ended by an 18-wheeler and I've just been launched into road rage," Jeremy Piven told Latin Post in an exclusive interview in New York City.
"That is basically the space that he lives in. Like imagine the most angry that you have ever been in your entire life, strap on a power suit, work on your lowest level, be incredibly reactive. Have everything mean too much to you. Be overly emotionally invested and then just know that no matter how heightened the emotional states are, it's never enough. ... And action, go!"
Oh, the madness that is Ari Gold!
"I just think you have to go to a place that's not healthy," he added. "As people we're trying to be balanced and take the high road and so the opposite of that is the way that Ari Gold is. It's so fun and taxing to play."
It was this abrasive and offensive role that garnered Piven three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe. The over-the-top role has also led him to channel Ari's studly, Italian alter ego; release a new book by Ari Gold called "The Gold Standard: Rules to Rule By"; ponder who he'd like to manage in real life; and then star on the big screen in "Entourage."
Ari Gold's Comeback
When the HBO TV series "Entourage" ended, the last time we saw Ari Gold was when he had retired from Hollywood and moved to Italy to "live in the moment" and re-connect with his wife, "Mrs. Ari," played by Perrey Reeves. In a short film, the story of his comeback is revealed. While it didn't make the movie, it's sure to bring laughs.
Ari Gold tries to "decompress" among the beautiful backdrop of vineyards and rolling hills, but as we know, that word doesn't exist in his vocabulary. His wife realizes that he's "miserable" not working and needs his fix.
The two then see his alter ego, a suave and flashy Italian Ari Gold with long hair, dressed in a sharp white suit, driving away in a fabulous Cadillac convertible. With his wife's blessing, Ari goes chasing after him after seeing a script that reads "Follow me" in Italian. Then, he is led to the ultimate Italian talent agency.
"They told me the night before that I kind of had to learn Italian and I panicked," he said. "Ya know the idea of playing the Italian version of Ari Gold in a Cadillac commercial. I just felt like, 'wow, who would have ever thought 13 years ago when I started this that it would come to that.' So we've come a long way."
According to Piven, a look-a-like stunt man braved the rugged terrain to chase Ari's Italian alter-ego.
"Mark (Wahlberg, "Entourage's" Exec. Producer) contacted me and said 'Bro, there was a guy punching me in the face that he looks just like you...and he's a stunt man."
Now, Ari Gold is back in business as he drives away in the Cadillac he had sought after and then the "Entourage" theme-song kicks in.
With that comes the highly-anticipated "Entourage" movie that's chock-full of celebrity cameos and the shenanigans of the gang who continue to drive Ari mad, along with other heavy hitters in the business.
"There were so many different cameos and being a huge sports fan, just to be with Russell Wilson and Mike Tyson, and then Pharrell shows up and Liam Neeson and then Tom Brady. It's just crazy. There wasn't enough time for all the people that wanted to be in it, but we had a blast."
When asked what he foresees for the future of "Entourage," Piven said: "I don't have a clue. I hope that people see the movie. ... I don't want us to get ahead of ourselves..."
Impersonating the excitement on set, Piven added: "It was like shooting in a riot and it came together...and it works. So, listen, that's all that matters."
Ari Gold's "The Gold Standard: Rules to Rule By"
For over a decade, Ari Gold has been dominating the Hollywood agency scene with his obnoxious and ruthless business approach. He's decided to finally dish on his tips and advice on how to make it to the top both professionally and personally through his new book: "The Gold Standard: Rules to Rule By."
Some examples of his classic rules reportedly include: "Pay it forward -- so you get paid back"; "Abandon the generation of weakness -- a.k.a. "Don't worry, just win"; "Happiness can't buy money"; and "Tell the important part of the truth."
"It's not my book and I don't care about that book. It's not interesting to me. I don't believe in any of that ideology. It's the ideology of Ari Gold," he reiterated. "It's a faux autobiography. It's about greed and it's about all of the things that he believes in. I believe in other things. ... It was my job to promote it as Ari Gold, but I can't promote that ideology..."
"That's some Ari Gold, Gordon Gecko sh.., that has nothing to do with me. I just want to make that clear," he added. "It's a fictional book and I just hope that people take it seriously. There are young kids out there that are using it as like a mantra, ya know what I mean? ... because that would be too bad."
Piven as a Real-life Agent?
So who would Piven want to manage in real life?
"That's a great question. ... I, personally, if I was an agent my first client would be like Javier Bardem, ya know, someone like that, and Penelope Cruz. Let's get the whole household -- and their child," he joked.
"I would represent Penelope Cruz's womb. Whoever comes out that's what I would do. I would lock down her womb and whatever comes out of it, Ari's going to represent! He will be just be sitting there with a catcher's mitt. Yeah let's go, let's pop out another fire-breather! Yeah, let's go Penelope, push!" he laughed.
Check out Latin Post's exclusive interview with Jeremy Piven as well as a hilarious look back at how Ari Gold made his comeback. "Entourage" hits theaters on Wednesday, June 3, 2015.