Jeremy Piven

Interview: Jeremy Piven Delivers ‘The Goods’ on Chicago Red Carpet

PatrickMcD — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:04:14 -0600

CHICAGO – In the midst of a new season of ‘Entourage’ on HBO, actor Jeremy Piven walked the red carpet during the Chicago premiere of ‘The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard,’ the newly released comedy in which he plays a lead role.

HollywoodChicago.com was there, and got some bonus Q&A action with the director of The Goods, Neal Brennan, and Jeremy Pivens notable acting teacher mother, Ms. Joyce Hiller Piven.

Jeremy Piven, star of ‘The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard’

This long-time character actor broke through as a lead character six TV seasons ago, playing the unforgettable Ari Gold, super-agent for the characters of ‘Entourage.’ Expanding his film career, he plays Don Ready in The Goods, and talks about the filming experience.

Jeremy Piven Walks the Red Carpet at the Chicago Premiere of ‘The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard’ on August 13, 2009.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com: Taking the lead role in a comedy is tremendously exciting. Did you feel you had to take more of a leadership role on the set with its large cast then previous films to keep the morale and energy up?

Jeremy Piven: I been in a lot of comedies, and this is the funniest one I’ve ever been in, bar none. Even though I’m lucky enough to have the lead, Will Ferrell and Ed Helms are among the best in the business, so they all made me look really good.

I’ve just been doing ensemble work forever, and [Producer] Adam McKay gathered this cast together, and they are just cool guys to hang out with…I had the time of my life.

HC: What is different about a Chicago or Midwestern actor in Los Angeles than actors from other parts of the country and why?

JP: I’m lucky enough to do Entourage right now with a fellow Chicago actor named Gary Cole. And what you get with a Chicago actor is a fellow who is willing to do anything, try anything and doesn’t have an ego. He looks you in the eye and does his thing.

Whenever there is a Chicago actor on set I am so happy. We had this great moment when David Schwimmer was there and Gary Cole, so the whole atmosphere was Chicago guys. That was pretty cool.

HC: Anything you can tell us about what will happen to Ari Gold in the rest of Entourage’s season?

JP: Ari is going to bottom out and take over the town. It’s kind of going to be ripped from the headlines.

Neal Brennan, director of ‘The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard’

Screenwriter (”Half Baked”) and a former comedy scribe for “Chapelle’s Show,” Neal Brennan makes his film directorial debut with The Goods.

Neal Brennan at the Chicago Premiere of ‘The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard’ on August 13, 2009.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

HC: What did you do on the set to keep up the energy on this very manic comedy?

Neal Brennan: I didn’t have to do much. I tried not to cut too much. I feel as a director that when you yell ‘cut,’ all the actors think ‘did he cut because of me?’ I try to keep the camera rolling as long as I could.

Somebody told me it adds 200 grand in film costs. They did tell me to start shooting less, but Will Ferrell and Adam McKay were behind them telling me don’t stop shooting.

HC: How much improvisation do you allow on-set? Is that hard to control with comedians?

NB: The great Harold Ramis once told me that he uses the script as a last resort. We do a couple takes with the script, but then we tried something else.

HC: As a director, what is your favorite camera shot or movement and why?

NB: With this movie in particular, I tried to keep up camera movement as much as possible. I shot in what is called a ‘lensing style,’ which is to shoot a scene from far away so it seems more real and documentary-like.

Most of the time I wanted to be about the actors and the jokes, but there were some moments where I thought, ‘I can show off a little here.’

Joyce Hiller Piven, Co-founder of the Piven Theatre Workshop

The mother of Jeremy Piven is a famous name in Chicago, co-founding her Evanston-based acting studio with her late husband Byrne Piven.

Joyce Hiller Piven at the Chicago Premiere of ‘The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard’ on August 13, 2009.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

HC: Since you are a student and teacher of acting, what do you observe about the cutthroat business end of the type of productions that Jeremy participates in, and how do you think that business effects the art of acting overall?

Joyce Hiller Piven: I don’t think anything is compromised when Jeremy is involved. Because he is artist and is true to himself. So I can’t speak to a general kind of statement involving the industry overall.

HC: How have movies and the type of acting done for them effected the work you see coming out of your students over the years? Has it made a significant difference in them and why?

JHP: I am a little prejudiced about the Workshop. What we are noted for is trying to cultivate the individual voice. So when students go through the Workshop they find that true voice. The original voice. Not trying to be like anyone else.

We have a healthy atmosphere and I think artists thrive on health. I don’t think artists have to suffer and be neurotic. They may be neurotic in life, but under on our program they’re not that way on stage. They have comfort and feel easy in a stage presence.

HC: Finally, as an instructor and mentor, what is your best one sentence advice to student actors?

JHP: Cultivate your own voice, your own originality, your own creativity and love what you are doing.

’The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard’ opened August 14, 2009 at theaters everywhere and features Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, Ed Helms, James Brolin, Rob Riggle, David Koechner and Kathryn Hahn, directed by Neal Brennan.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: Fifth Season of HBO’s ‘Entourage’ Entertains, But Shows Age

BrianTT — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:34:59 -0600

CHICAGO – How does a show about the “next big thing” in Hollywood age? Do we really want to see the boys of “Entourage” grow up? The first two seasons of Creator Doug Ellin’s incredibly clever show crackled with wit rarely seen on television and stood with the best comedies. But season five, now on DVD, shows a series with a slight identity crisis, a comedy that is still entertaining but missing the spark that once defined it.

DVD Rating: 3.5/5.0

If there was a “jump the shark” moment for “Entourage” it was, ironically, the same disastrous event in the fictional career of Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) - the fictional epic “Medellin”. The writers and producers spent so much time on the project that they lost a lot of the creative energy from the first two seasons in the story of an ambitious film gone disastrously wrong.

Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season was released on DVD on June 30th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

Season five of the show features both a show and its characters in the middle of a crisis. Just as Vince can’t figure out what to do next with his career and his boys struggle with their own identities a bit, the season fluctuates wildly in quality. Some episodes and arcs are hilarious, including great guest turns by Jason Patric, Seth Green, and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, but the season is wildly hit-and-miss and never quite as funny as it used to be.

Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season was released on DVD on June 30th, 2009.
Photo credit: HBO Home Video

The fifth season of “Entourage” opens after the scathing Cannes Film Festival response to what Vinny thought would be his shot at Oscar glory, “Medellin”. With no one willing to hire his best friend and client, Eric (Kevin Connolly) really goes to work in season five, finding new clients, including a pair of writers (Giovanni Ribisi & Lukas Haas) who may have the right vehicle for Mr. Chase. Meanwhile, Johnny “Drama” (Kevin Dillon) struggles with love and “Turtle” (Jerry Ferrara) starts a romance with Jamie-Lynn Sigler (playing herself and returning for ten episodes in season six).

This season of “Entourage” could have been subtitled “the boys against the world”. Each episode seemed to be about one of the four boys or Jeremy Piven’s uber-agent Ari Gold battling someone new. Whether it was Paul Ben-Victor’s lunatic studio head or the great Stellan Skarsgard as a director giving Vincent’s lines away, someone was always trying to keep this entourage from digging themselves out of the “Medellin” hole.

It may not be as pitch-perfect or fresh as it was the first few years, but there is still enough to like about “Entourage” to warrant a look on DVD. For every scene or episode that feels a bit off or isn’t quite funny enough, there’s a laugh-out-loud moment or insightful Hollywood arc that balances it out. Like Vinny Chase himself, don’t count out “Entourage” rising to the top again.

Aren’t most people watching HBO in HD nowadays? So, why isn’t the network releasing all of their shows on Blu-Ray? There’s no excuse for a show that’s so much about beautiful people in beautiful locations to not be in beautiful 1080P. And the standard definition picture is below average for HBO Home Video with some noticeable visual inconsistencies.

As for special features, HBO usually delivers good ones but not a large amount of them and that standard holds true for the fifth season release of “Entourage,” which includes three commentary tracks with Ellin, Connolly, Ferrara, Grenier, and producer Ally Musika, and a featurette called “The Celebrity Factor”.

Finally, after you’ve caught up with the boys of “Entourage” with season five, you should know that season six is currently airing on HBO. The season premiere aired on Sunday, July 12th, 2009.

‘Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season’ was released by HBO Home Video and stars Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Rex Lee, Perrey Reeves, and Jeremy Piven. It was created by Doug Ellin. The show was released on June 30th, 2009. It is not rated.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: ABC’s ‘Cupid’ Pushes Romance Past the Breaking Point

BrianTT — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:05:31 -0600

Television Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – I am completely unashamed to admit to being a hopeless romantic and someone easily manipulated by cheesy, sudsy, heartfelt tales of love. I say this because even this loyal fan of movie musicals was pushed over the edge by the goofy romantic dramedy “Cupid,” the new tale of love in the big city debuting on ABC on Tuesday, March 31st.

I preface this review with my affection for all things romantic to make clear that I honestly wanted to like “Cupid”. It features two incredibly charismatic leads in Bobby Cannavale and Sarah Paulson (and a solid supporting cast) and the consistently depressing state of the world could always use a little more amore. But this is not the way to get it.

Sarah Paulson, Bobby Cannavale.
Photo credit: ABC/Eric Liebowitz

Bobby Cannavale (“Will & Grace”) plays Trevor Pierce, an over-the-top character who may or may not be the human form of the legendary Cupid, the Roman god of love. Trevor claims that he has been sent to the most cynical city on Earth, New York City, to create 100 couples of true love before he will be allowed to return to Mt. Olympus. Naturally, they drop Trevor in a mental institution.

Rick Gomez, Camille Guaty, Bobby Cannavale, Sarah Paulson.
Photo credit: ABC/Bob D’Amico

Three months later, and after teaching the staff and patients to sing “All You Need is Love,” Trevor is deemed harmless and is allowed to be released but only if he’s monitored by cynical psychiatrist and self-help author Dr. Claire McCrae (Sarah Paulson of “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”). Trevor attends her group therapy sessions so she can monitor his progress and, of course, Cupid himself plays matchmaker with the good doctor’s patients.

Meanwhile, Trevor (Rick Gomez of “What About Brian”) lives above the Tres Equis Cantina, owned by Felix Arroyo and his sister, Lita (Camille Guaty of “Las Vegas”). He plays bartender in exchange for rent. Clearly, the therapy and the bar scene should provide plenty of opportunities for Cupid’s arrow to strike.

“Cupid” creator Rob Thomas has proven himself to be an incredible TV voice in the past with “Veronica Mars” ranking among the best-written shows of the last several years, but the script for the premiere of his second take on “Cupid” (the show originally ran with Jeremy Piven in the lead role and Paula Marshall supporting in 1998-99) is simply weak. He’s above this kind of writing. It’s too predictable, too cheesy, and just too “too”. It’s likely to give viewers more cynical than myself sugar shock.

Cannavale and Paulson have personality to spare but both of their character models have been pushed to the extreme. Cupid/Trevor should just be a charming matchmaker, but he’s been written far too broadly. No one, not even Cupid, should say “poppycock” on network television. He comes off as goofy instead of romantic and, yes, there is a difference.

As for Paulson’s Claire, she’s SO clearly the Scully to Trevor’s Mulder, the character who doesn’t believe in romantic love but will likely be worn down by the charms of her least dangerous patient. It’s hard to judge after one episode, but for a show like “Cupid” to work, the leads need to have their own romantic chemistry and Cannavale and Paulson are seriously lacking in this department.

Bobby Cannavale, Marguerite Moreau.
Photo credit: ABC/Eric Liebowitz

Cannavale and Paulson just don’t look right together and if the writers don’t develop that aspect of the show quickly and the only romance is of the “weekly case” variety then “Cupid” won’t find an audience. Viewers might be intrigued by the overly complicated romantic entanglements of Claire’s patients and the people at Trevor’s bar, but they’ll need an ongoing “will they or won’t they” to come back week to week.

After one episode, Trevor and Claire don’t feel like real people, so their potential chemistry is never given the chance to grow. They’re so clearly designed to be opposites of one another that the supporting characters, especially the lovely Camille Guaty, are more interesting because they feel more genuine.

Clearly, “Cupid” needs some work, but with a cast this good and a creator as talented as Thomas, there’s still hope. First and foremost, the writers need to remember that there’s a difference between romantic and goofy. The first version of “Cupid” aired for fourteen episodes and if they don’t lower the saccharine level and work on the chemistry between their leads, this version won’t make it half as long. “Cupid” could easily be heartbroken again.

‘Cupid,’ which airs on ABC, stars Bobby Cannavale, Sarah Paulson, Rick Gomez, and Camille Guaty. The show was created by Rob Thomas. The premiere airs on Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 at 9PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Theater: Joyce Piven’s ‘What Dreams May Come’ a Mitzvah Lost in Adaptation

HollywoodChicago.com — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:52:25 -0700

CHICAGO – Before you’re served this meal, you’re treated to a backstory of four integral ingredients that are three parts encouragement and one part concern.

The Piven Theatre, which is co-founded by Joyce Piven (the mother of Chicago film star Jeremy Piven), is kicking off its upcoming theater season by revisiting an acclaimed format that sold out shows throughout its run two years ago.

For more delectable buildup, a personal note from director Joyce Piven on this year’s “What Dreams May Come: American Visions Through Jewish Eyes” perfectly puts you in the storytelling mood.

The tale of her credulous and selfless grandfather, Jake, is one you’re inspired by and proud to tell about an elder you love and respect. Jake Piven ran a small grocery store off Roosevelt Road where he had a “credit record” of all things purchased to be paid without interest when the person could afford it.

For even more fodder to this looming feast, you learn its three stories are penned by one Pulitzer Prize-winning Jewish author (Bernard Malamud) and another Nobel Prize-winning Jewish writer (Isaac Bashevis Singer).

Once you’re primed with encouragement of 2005’s success coupled with the vivid details of her grandfather and what must decisively be superlative writing, though, you dive into the performance with open-minded apprehension after reading the relatively lacking cast credits.

The three back-to-back stories all impart decidedly different lessons without any connection to one other. The first – wrapped in a woman’s dream of her parents – feels lost in its own melodrama.

You warm up to the second – on the thought-provoking concept of buying a miracle on faith for your terminally ill father – and especially the third, which centers around life and if you’d know you’re dead all wrapped in the paramount question of who a person should spend a life loving.

Once you’ve eaten the trio, you’re hesitant to feel entirely awed ultimately because of one overarching theme: you get the feeling brilliance is here but it’s partially lost in its adaptation and direction.

On opening night, Joyce emerged from the crowd with lukewarm and deservedly earned feedback. While changes were necessary and gaps needed filling, her good-deeded mitzvah is the gift of thought and discussion.

“What Dreams May Come: American Visions Through Jewish Eyes” runs through Dec. 16 at the Piven Theatre in Evanston. 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets cost $23-$25.

By Adam Fendelman
Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com

Chicago-Native ‘Juno’ Writer Diablo Cody Takes Stand on WGA Strike

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:37:59 -0700

Following the launch of the Writers Guild of America strike on Monday, “Juno” writer Diablo Cody went to work on Wednesday to fight for her work. She published the following photo on her blog.

Diablo Cody on strike on Nov. 7, 2007 in Los Angeles.
Photo source: Diablo Cody
To accompany the stark visual, she penned the following with brevity:

The gang is out in force today. Even striking can be fun when someone’s blasting “Sir Duke” and donuts abound.

The best part of this afternoon was when Jeremy Piven drove off the lot and we all screamed “PIVS! PIVS!” at him like love-struck Beatlemaniacs.

Piven was raised in Evanston (just north of downtown Chicago) and Cody is originally from Chicago. She moved early in 2007 from Minnesota to Los Angeles with her husband (Jonny Hunt).

Cody will be in Chicago on a “Juno” press junket on Nov. 16 along with “Juno” star Ellen Page. I will be interviewing them then. Stay tuned for their perspective.

John Cusack, Joyce Piven Walk Chicago Red Carpet For ‘Grace is Gone’

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:31:59 -0600

CHICAGO – After interviewing Chicago’s John Cusack along with Gracie Bednarczyk and Shélan O’Keefe (first-time actresses and Chicago natives) for “Grace is Gone,” I camped out with the hordes of press cameras as they all walked the red carpet on Friday.

John Cusack and Shélan O’Keefe for “Grace is Gone”.
Photo by Adam Fendelman/HollywoodChicago.com
Bednarczyk and O’Keefe arrived first at 7 p.m. at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre, which is the same vintage venue for the Ben and Casey Affleck appearance on Wednesday night and where Anthony Hopkins will be on Sunday night. Cusack received a career achievement award from the Chicago International Film Festival.

John Cusack receiving a career achievement award on Oct. 12, 2007.
Photo by Adam Fendelman/HollywoodChicago.com
The surprise came with an appearance by Joyce Hiller Piven. She’s the mother of Chicago actor Jeremy Piven. With her husband, Byrne Piven, they co-founded Chicago’s Piven Theater Workshop.

Joyce Piven on Oct. 12, 2007 at the Music Box.
Photo by Adam Fendelman/HollywoodChicago.com
John Cusack, Joan Cusack and Ann Cusack (another sister) all attended the theater school. Jeremy Piven once shared an apartment with John Cusack. They’ve been longtime close friends and have shot 10 films together.

First-time Chicago stars Gracie Bednarczyk (second from the left)
and Shélan O’Keefe (second from the right) for “Grace is Gone”.
Photo by Adam Fendelman/HollywoodChicago.com

The Music Box on Oct. 12, 2007.
Photo by Adam Fendelman/HollywoodChicago.com
Stay tuned for my full interviews with Cusack, O’Keefe and Bednarczyk.

3:11 p.m. update on 10/13/07: Here’s a John Cusack portrait from the evening’s red-carpet premiere. This is being published on HollywoodChicago.com with permission from veteran Chicago celebrity photographer Joe Arce.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com