Jeremy Piven: Style and Substance on the Last Season of "Entourage"

My book agent, Richard Abate, is the classiest act in the business. He champions his clients, gets the deal done and I've never once heard him lose his cool.

And then there is that other agent out there… fictional Ari Gold.

You know the latter from the HBO series "Entourage" where Ari is famous for hugging it out and screaming it out as the uber Hollywood player who basically runs Hollywood.

Sunday marks the end of an era as "Entourage" begins its last eight episodes.

Catch up with Jeremy Piven, the stylish, soft-spoken actor who plays Ari, and it's clear that there will be a new Ari in the 90210 zip code this season.

"You'll have to find a new word for soft. I finally get to show Ari Gold's soul," he says.

I almost hate to ask?

Does Ari Gold cry?

Piven won't cop to needing any Kleenex on screen, but he will say that he didn't require a hankie in real life.

"It's all so fresh. We just wrapped. And I have to say that I did myself proud. I kept my mind on business until the end," Piven says.  

"I had really great scenes that took Ari Gold out. My deal was just focus on the work and not the real life emotions."

What was going on inside of him during his last moments of playing Ari Gold?

"There was a real sense of the passing of time," Piven says. "So many things happen to you during an eight year run on a series. Parents die. Babies are born. Eight years is a long time.

"It's just nice to know I can walk away feeling like I did everything I could at the end," he says.

STYLE AND SUBSTANCE ON THE LAST SEASON OF "ENTOURAGE"

Ari was always known for his impeccable style including the perfectly tailored Armani or Hugo Boss suits. Haircuts were done in his office by Jose Eber (berated by Ari) before photo shoots for magazine proclaiming him "Hollywood's Hottest Under 40."

"It was part of the package. He had to look pulled together always. His clothes reflected that nothing rattled him," says Piven. "I think there were a few episodes in pants and nice shirts, but mostly it was the power suit that gave Ari extra authority."

"On one of my favorite episodes where we go to a party at a beach house with Gary Busey, Ari is in a short sleeve shirt and it was so un-Ari. I think we established that he was a suit guy afterwards," he says. 

SECRETS OF THE LAST SEASON OF ENTOURAGE

Piven plays it pretty close to the vest when revealing plot spoilers for the last season.

"In the eighth season, I get to reveal Ari Gold's humanity," he says.

This season picks up with Vince out of rehab and trying to re-establish his career. Drama is fighting to get his 'toon series on the air while E (Eric) is just plain fighting with his fiancée Sloan over a nasty pre-nup.

And Ari is hurting.

Last season ended with Ari's long-suffering wife (Perrey Reeves) finally walking out on him. She's ready to embark on a new life…without all the drama. Will she start dating? Will he? 

"Ari is brought to his knees by the possibly loss of his family," Piven says.  "As an actor, you can only dream about playing emotional stuff like this in a final season.

"How often do you even get to play a character who can take all the oxygen in room for himself? Ari is an equal opportunity offender. He's a maniac. A rage-a-holic. But this last season, we finally open him up and show his layers because he does it all for his family and that is being taken away from him."

"This personal drama is something I've been wishing for," Piven says. "I've been dreaming of going out as I swing for the fences with this guy."

PIVEN IN REAL LIFE

I've known Jeremy for years as a Chicago stage and film actor whose parents, the late Byrne Piven and his wife Joyce, founded the Piven Theatre Workshop, a legendary acting school whose alum include John and Joan Cusack plus Jeremy Piven.

Piven isn't anything like his screen alter ego.

"The complete irony is that people think I am Ari," he says. "No one knows who I am. Listen, I'm just a stage actor from Chicago. I'm an emotional guy. I'm not this character. I'm even shy. I don't run around screaming at people."

"But to play a guy who is the exact opposite of me was a feast," he says.

There are rumors of an Ari spinoff show.

"Listen, someone should tell me about it," he says. "It sounds like fun. I think someone should be spinning from this group."

As for the movie plans, he will even elaborate. "I have to say that I believe the way this thing ends is not manipulative. It's totally organic. But I believe based on how we ended it, I think if a movie were to come along then we could explore even more of these characters."

"It would feel good," he says.

"There may be more to come," Piven says. "I hope so. This has been something magical." 

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