[MUSIC PLAYING]
KEVIN VLK: Welcome to Talks
at Google, I'm Kevin Vlk.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: And
I'm Dana Han-Klein.
KEVIN VLK: And today
we're welcoming
the cast of Warner Bros.
New movie, "Entourage."
[APPLAUSE]
KEVIN VLK: So you know them
as Ari, Vincent, Chase, Eric
Murphy, and Turtle.
Ladies and gentlemen, please
welcome to Google Jeremy Piven,
Adrian Grenier, Kevin
Connolly, Jerry Ferrara,
and director, creator,
writer, producer, Doug Ellin.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: Take a seat.
AUDIENCE: I'm bugging out!
[LAUGHTER]
[CHEERING]
KEVIN VLK: All righty.
So welcome to Google, guys.
Such a great job on the movie.
So let's give a round
of applause for that.
It's a great film.
You know, Doug, you
did such a great job
of giving each character
their own subplot that
fed into Vince's, and it
was really, really good.
And catching the audience up
to exactly where they needed
to be if they hadn't
seen the series,
but if they did, getting them up
to date with their characters.
So I want go
through all you guys
and talk about the
evolution of your characters
over the series,
right into the movie.
And Turtle, I want to
start with you, Jerry.
Yours was probably
the slowest character
to evolve throughout the series.
But then you-- but no!
DOUG ELLIN: He's a turtle.
He's a turtle.
JERRY FERRARA: First of
all, I sat in the back row
so you didn't call on me first.
That was my plan and
you just blew me up.
So continue.
KEVIN VLK: I got notes from the
studio and it said otherwise.
No, but you had the biggest
growth throughout the series,
especially once it
hit the season six
and you're world exploded with
meeting up with Mark Cuban.
So can you talk about the
evolution of your character?
JERRY FERRARA: Yeah.
I also think he maybe had
the most room to grow.
If you look at
Turtle in season one,
he was negotiating with a
girl to make out with him
and he'll show her where Vince
eats breakfast in the morning,
to chasing after Ronda
Rousey in the movie.
And also, he was making
$200 a week as the driver.
And then sold the tequila
company with Mark Cuban
and made millions of dollars.
It's one of my favorite lines--
Kevin Dillon, as Johnny Drama,
shockingly says,
Turtle's a millionaire?
[LAUGHTER]
And it plays itself
out in the movie,
where he gets caught in this
romantic or business angle
with Ronda.
And Doug's done an amazing
job evolutionizing-- that's
not a word, I know-- Turtle.
DOUG ELLIN: We got
smart people here.
JERRY FERRARA: Great
crowd, by the way.
I know.
I can't slip words I
make up by you guys.
That's not fair.
KEVIN VLK: Adrian,
how about that?
ADRIAN GRENIER: Jerry's
disrupting the vocabulary,
isn't he?
Well, one thing that
Vince is supposed to do
is be a solid, steadfast leader
for the rest of the guys.
He's the example, he's the rock.
And he is sort of this--
KEVIN CONNOLLY: Spit it out.
ADRIAN GRENIER:
--this grounding.
He's the grounded part that all
of the other guys swirl around.
So I've always really
enjoyed bringing that aspect
to the character.
The zen-like quality,
this nonchalance.
And really, his evolution
is in his career.
And of course, in the
movie now, he not only
wants to act but also to direct.
And that seems like the
last thing an agent wants
to hear their client declare.
But really sets the
whole movie in motion.
KEVIN VLK: What a beautiful
segue into Mr. Jeremy
Piven over here with Ari Gold.
JEREMY PIVEN: Yeah.
All right.
[APPLAUSE]
All right.
These are my people, man.
This is my demographic
right here.
I love it.
KEVIN VLK: Ask for stock.
Ask for stock.
JEREMY PIVEN: Exactly.
If you guys only knew
what a caveman I was.
I mean, on a keypad
I'm just a disaster.
It's pathetic.
Ari had basically one
scene in the pilot,
a really great moment with Kevin
Connolly-- with E-- at Koi.
And he was seemingly a
complete and utter pig
that was cheating on his wife
with a Sports Illustrated
model.
But the reality was,
Doug-- did you always--
was that a mistake?
Or did you know that
he was going to be--
what happened with that?
DOUG ELLIN: I never thought
we'd go past the pilot,
so I just wrote the funnest
line I could come up.
And then I'm, like, wow, if
this guy's this bad a guy,
it's not going to be great.
JEREMY PIVEN: And obviously
we cast Perrey Reeves
as Mrs. Ari and she crushed it.
Yeah, amazing.
And Ari is one of
these guys who will
do-- it's by any means
necessary to get the job done.
He is a rageaholic
and very reactive,
and is an equal
opportunity offender.
And says the unsayable.
And I think that's one of the
reasons why people love him.
By the end of the
series, he realized
that the things that meant
the most to him in this life
were his wife and family.
So he was willing to
give up his livelihood
for it, which you never
thought Ari would ever do.
And that's where we pick
up with him at the movie.
And he is continuously
trying to evolve.
And that's what I thought was
brilliant about the movie--
was, like, doing a
spirituality tape.
Having Ari Gold attempting to
be spiritual is ridiculous.
And was really,
really fun to play.
And Doug-- the look of
horror as I was destroying
a $250,000 Mercedes, you know?
DOUG ELLIN: Jeremy has broken
a lot of things on the set.
We try to bring fake
computers and stuff
but they don't look good.
He's throwing them
across the floor.
And you know what?
He really does.
He gets so into it and immerses
himself really, really deep.
And it's incredible to watch.
KEVIN VLK: And how about you?
For the writing process, with
the creating of the characters,
Doug, and again,
their evolution?
DOUG ELLIN: Well I mean,
evolution-- it's a funny thing.
Because the critics always want
to talk evolution, and actors
really want to talk evolution.
But for me, this is a show
about childhood best friends.
And really, as you
guys know, most of them
don't change that much.
You usually go, wow, he's
the same as he was then.
There's a couple--
Jerry screwed me.
I mean, Jerry went and
got himself in shape.
Now he's this handsome
guy, you know?
There's no doubt what--
[CHEERING]
There's no doubt when
I was casting Turtle,
it was like, OK, I
need a funny fat guy.
So then when we start
getting into the movie,
Jerry and I are having lunch.
And Jerry is not
eating anything again.
And I'm like, Jerry, you
got to eat some lunch.
He's like, what do you mean?
I'm like, well, you're going
to put on 100 pounds, right?
We're going to get you back.
And the truth is he did have
the most room for growth.
And it's been an
amazing thing to see.
I mean, Jerry was so much
younger than everybody else
when we started.
But for everybody else,
their stories definitely
have growth, and evolve.
But I think at the
end of the day,
Ari was always this
really good family man who
just has a big mouth, you know?
But he is a loyal guy
and he'll kill for him.
And these guys, too.
So their stories may change,
but at the end of the day,
their core, to me, is the same.
And I think the movie is
almost a reset, you know?
I hope you never had to see
an episode to start this movie
and go, OK, I get what this is.
And either you go along
for the ride or you don't.
KEVIN VLK: Kevin.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: Well, when
I was coming up the stairs,
I tripped.
Is there any way that we can
keep that off the internet?
It's never going
to happen, right?
I should just accept that I'm
going to be looking at that.
JERRY FERRARA: Kevin, it's
already on the internet.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: I literally
tripped and almost fell
on my face and it
was embarrassing.
JEREMY PIVEN: We
need more of that.
By the way, I will push
you down the stairs.
Because we need a viral
moment so badly, it's crazy.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: I know.
I saw a couple cameras.
I'm hoping they
were stills, but I
was literally on my face
on the stairs coming up.
So if you-- be kind,
be cautious, please.
Thank you.
No, my character's been
trying to evolve for years.
But now he's having a
baby, so it's about as
evolved as you can get.
So hopefully he'll
grow up a little bit.
But we'll see.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: So as
you mentioned, it's
been a while since the pilot.
And it's been, what?
11 years since you guys first
stepped into these roles.
And you're bringing in a
new audience to this film,
but you're also honoring the
audience that loved and watched
all of the show when it was on.
What were some of the things
that you took care with
to bring in the new audience?
We watched it with
some people who
hadn't seen any of the
series before last night
and they loved it.
DOUG ELLIN: That's great.
DANA HAN KLEIN:
So you succeeded.
DOUG ELLIN: I mean, I
looked at the script
when I started and
said, yeah, there's
things that we have to clean
up from the show for fans.
But really, just get into
this as quickly as possible.
I didn't want to spend a lot
of time on Vince got married
and what happened,
and Ari retired.
OK.
He's a type A guy.
These types of guys, all the
time, they say, you know what?
I'm going to pack it all up.
And then they end up
coming right back.
So it was very, very important.
The Piers Morgan
thing was obviously
a device to catch people up.
I needed something.
Piers was great, and made
it very credible and real.
But at the end of
the day, the show's
about working class
guys who made it big
and get to live in
this fantasy land.
At the end of the day, they
really care about each other
more than they care about
all the toys and stuff.
So I think that's an
easy thing to latch onto.
And if you like the characters,
you'll go along with it.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: Was
it easy to slip back
into these characters?
It's been a reasonable amount
of time since the series ended.
Did you guys find that you
were just as comfortable today
as you were?
ADRIAN GRENIER: I
mean, I couldn't wait.
I live in New York,
so I miss these guys.
And I was really
just anxious for us
all to get back together
and be in our characters.
Because really,
acting is reacting.
And when you're working
off Jeremy and all
these other characters--
and you see Johnny Drama--
it's really easy just to
respond to that and be present.
KEVIN VLK: You touched upon
this a little bit, where there's
something really special
about these characters
that they all grew up from
nothing, came from nothing.
And they're extremely relatable.
And I love the juxtaposition
with Haley Joel Osment's
character in movie, where
he's the heir of his father's
family, and he's
this entitled brat.
So what's the secret of keeping
these characters relatable,
even though-- the crazy
stuff from Ari, and E
making the mistakes,
but you still like him?
DOUG ELLIN: I think
the thing that
makes you love these guys--
aside from, obviously,
these actors are likable.
It's an intangible
that you have to cast.
But Ari goes home to his
wife and kids every night.
My son plays his son, so
I like that he does that.
But so--
[LAUGHTER]
And these guys-- and they say
it and they do it with action.
It's more important that
they look out for each other
than they get a Ferrari.
So yeah, all the toys
are there because it
is a wish fulfillment.
We want people to watch this
and go, wow, that's a great life
and I'd love to live it.
But more importantly,
I'd love to live it
with my friends
that really can't
afford to do that, you know?
And it's how I grew up and it's
really how all of us grew up.
And I'm still best
friends with the kids
that I was friends with
from kindergarten on.
And a lot of them--
some of them--
I have friends
who've made fortunes
and I have friends
who work as policeman
and do all sorts of things.
And when we get together,
there's no difference.
It's the same
dynamics that we had
and that's what I really
want with these guys.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: So this
question is for Jeremy and Doug.
Ari Gold is a historic
cinematic figure now.
How much of it is
written in advance?
How much of it is
Jeremy improvving?
One of my favorite scenes
involved a picture frame
and a very
innocent-looking kitten?
DOUG ELLIN: That's my cat.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: I'm sorry.
How much room is there to
play on set and how much of it
is written in advance to
be true to the character?
JEREMY PIVEN: Well,
it's all of our jobs
to make the written word
seem improvisational.
That's what we do, that's
what we love to do.
And so Doug takes a
long time to write this
and we honor those words.
And if something comes up-- I
come from an improv background
and so I do love to mix it up.
But this is really about making
those words come to life.
So the stuff with the kitten,
all that is absolutely written.
I'm not insane person that just
decides to smash a glass kitten
in the middle of a scene.
You know what I mean?
Actually, I probably
would do that.
DOUG ELLIN: You would
definitely do that.
JEREMY PIVEN: Yeah.
But no, we had 8 or 10 breakaway
glasses-- glass cases--
and I just went to town
and it was just cathartic.
DOUG ELLIN: But usually--
and with all of them--
we'll do a take that's
exactly like the script.
And then I'll go,
you got any ideas?
But more importantly, they'll
usually call me up the night
before-- I got a
line, I got an idea.
And then the biggest
thing Jeremy always does,
which has given us some amazing
moments, is end of takes.
He'll just throw things in.
Because, like that scene in
the psychiatrist's office,
he's got a two and a
half page monologue.
For him to start improvising
in the middle of that
would be mind-boggling if
he could do that, you know?
So I think it's really those
end-of-moments where he comes
up with--
KEVIN VLK: Javelin thrown.
DOUG ELLIN: But we
try to get the script.
Especially because we
shot this in 34 days.
I don't know if you
guys know, but that
is a really short thing.
And we have a lot of dialogue.
The script was 160 pages.
A typical comedy is
usually 105, maybe.
So we got to move
and move and move.
KEVIN VLK: I got you.
And so, Adrian and Kevin, I want
to talk about your relationship
because almost very brotherly.
I know you have
your-- obviously,
your character's brothers
with Drama on the film--
but you guys are almost like
brothers, too, it seems like.
So can you talk a little
bit about that relationship
and how that's played out?
KEVIN CONNOLLY: Well
I think-- I mean,
I was managing a Sbarro's
before Vince moved me out
to California.
But obviously, it was
probably a dynamic
that started in our childhood,
where he trusted my judgment
and knew that I
have-- or turns out,
maybe don't have-- such
great taste in material.
I definitely steered him down
the wrong road a few times
with "Medellin" and "Queens
Boulevard," to name a few.
But I think, more than anything,
there's just a trust there.
And I think that Vince knows
that at the end of the day,
E has his best interest in mind.
ADRIAN GRENIER:
Yeah, and something
happened in the movie,
where suddenly E is more
of the sex symbol than Vince.
And we've been joking
about whether or not
Doug was mad at me or Kevin.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: We literally--
I was like, Doug, what did I do?
He's like, what?
ADRIAN GRENIER:
And then I called--
KEVIN CONNOLLY: I'm
naked the whole movie.
ADRIAN GRENIER: I
was like, Doug--
KEVIN CONNOLLY: I'm starving.
DOUG ELLIN: Don't
scare people off.
You're not naked
the whole movie.
[LAUGHTER]
ADRIAN GRENIER: But yeah.
We are the straight
men, you know?
We're part of what
drives the story forward
because our solid grounding
is what gets these boys going
and keeps the bucks coming in.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: So one of my
other favorite story lines
in this was with Ronda Rousey
because she's a badass.
So was that role written
explicitly with her in mind?
You've had some great people
come in and play versions
of themselves, but she
is a unique appearance
in the "Entourage" universe.
And what was it
like fighting her?
Or trying to almost fight her?
JERRY FERRARA: You want
to start with how she--
DOUG ELLIN: Yeah.
I'll start.
Initially-- everyone
saw the movie, right?
I don't know.
So initially, she was
the Armie Hammer role.
Ronda, really--
a year and a half
ago, almost two years,
when we cast her,
she was in a very different
place than she is today.
So she was a little unknown.
To the real fighting crowd,
they knew her, but really not.
So initially, she was
going to be the one that
was threatening Vince.
I thought it was a funny
idea to have Vince.
And then Jerry and
I were at lunch
and I think, honestly,
it was at the same moment
that we thought this would
be a perfect thing for him.
There's something
that just seemed
like a perfect combination.
And I had never even met her.
But we set it and then
we set a lunch with her.
We had a lunch with her.
And weirdly enough, she
had just started, randomly,
watching the show at
a training session.
So she was up to-- I don't
know, Jerry-- like, season five?
JERRY FERRARA: Yeah,
something like that.
DOUG ELLIN: And then
we went to lunch
and they immediately had
a really cool chemistry.
And so Jerry can
take it from there.
JERRY FERRARA: Yeah, I
was a big fan of hers way
before she came on to do
the "Entourage" movie.
And it was weird
shooting with her
because we did all this
stuff-- and again, I
don't want to give too much away
for those who haven't seen it--
but we did all the
non-physical stuff first.
So I'm getting to know her
as just Ronda the person.
And she's this really sweet,
charming, intelligent woman.
And I wasn't getting it.
I was like, how is
she this-- I can't
imagine how she could be as
intimidating as people think.
And then we did the
stuff in the cage.
And I saw her face change from
oh, this is Ronda the person,
to Ronda I'm gonna
whup your ass.
DOUG ELLIN: Jerry's face
changed real quick, too.
JERRY FERRARA:
Honestly, in terms
of acting, it didn't
really take a whole lot
to react to her
charging across the ring
and giving me a front
kick to the stomach.
And she actually
recommended-- there's
a little bit of a flip in
the movie where she flips me.
And I wanted to do it.
I wanted to try to be a part
of all the stunts and all that.
She said, Jerry, listen.
You're not the biggest
guy in the world.
I've broken guys' ribs before
who were a lot bigger than you.
And I just looked over at the
stunt man, and in my mind,
he was having a coffee.
And I think I grabbed his
coffee and I tagged him in
and he got his ribs,
probably, broken.
And she's also won
three fights, I think,
since the time we started
shooting the movie.
And she's just an
incredible person.
DOUG ELLIN: And you
can also-- as a man,
you want to believe that
you can beat her up.
JERRY FERRARA: But you can't.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: Not.
DOUG ELLIN: And Kevin
Dillon was sitting there.
He's like, bro, I could
take her, you know?
JERRY FERRARA: No, he can not.
DOUG ELLIN: And
Wahlberg walked in,
and I forget--
Wahlberg said something
like, you look like Clint
Eastwood in-- what's
that movie where he
was mean to everybody?
But anyway, I think Dillon,
until he saw Jerry there,
he was being serious.
I think he was-- because
he'd never seen her fight.
And then, when you see the
movement that this really
is-- I mean, she was
just on the cover
of "Sports Illustrated"
as the most
dominant athlete in the world.
It's amazing to watch.
And the transformation, like
he says, in her personality's
incredible.
JERRY FERRARA: And something
weird's happened now.
Any time I watch
a fight of hers,
I turn into Adrian from
the "Rocky" movies.
I'm like, in the crowd at
home, crying at the TV,
just praying that
she wins her fight.
I turn into Adrian
from the "Rocky" movies
when I watch her fight now.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: Your money's
on her over Mayweather, right?
If she actually fights?
JERRY FERRARA: Absolutely.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: OK, good.
That's where mine is.
I think anybody
and everybody wants
to be in an "Entourage"
episode, movie, everything.
At what point do you have to
start saying no to people?
It takes place in
Hollywood, so it's awesome
that you are able to integrate
so many awesome cameos, but--
DOUG ELLIN: Just like everyone
who wants to buy tickets,
we will say no to no one.
I mean, we got calls--
we're on the set
and I get a call that Clay
Matthews from the Green Bay
Packers is in town.
And he's got a wedding,
but it's his favorite show.
He's willing to miss the
wedding if we can find something
for him.
I'm like, all right.
Come on down, you know?
So we--
[LAUGHTER]
ADRIAN GRENIER: It's
like a fire sale.
Come on down.
DOUG ELLIN: We packed it in.
And the truth is, some people
go, what's with all the cameos?
That's the life that
Mark Wahlberg lives.
When the movie was
finished, I called him up.
I said, I'm going to bring it
to your house to show it to you.
I get there, and Kevin
Durant answers the door.
I'm like, I'm not ready to
show it to Kevin Durant yet.
He's like well, you're going to.
So let's go.
That's what it is.
So the more we can get in a
realistic version, the better.
KEVIN VLK: And Jeremy--
fellow Chicago native.
Go Cubbies.
This year, right?
JERRY FERRARA: Wow, you went
with the Cubs on that one, huh?
KEVIN VLK: Yeah.
Mmm.
JERRY FERRARA: Back
row will be quiet now.
KEVIN VLK: You were really one
of the break out characters
early on in the show,
so Ari-- he just
seems destined to always
go for that top job.
He has his own agency and then
he runs-- now a studio head.
So what is that
top goal for Ari?
Because he just keeps chasing
and chasing and chasing,
it seems.
JEREMY PIVEN: Yeah.
He's ridiculously ambitious
and he will-- nothing
could stop him.
He believes he's
qualified for every job.
And I think that he's
actually a great studio head.
I can't tell you what
happens, but ultimately, I
could see him
going into politics
and going ridiculously far.
I don't think there's
anything that he
wouldn't be able to accomplish,
or think that he could.
He would will it to
happen, no matter what.
KEVIN VLK: And Doug,
what was the challenges
of getting this movie made?
And was there any fear of it's
too late or we've ended it?
DOUG ELLIN: I mean,
I'm a neurotic Jew,
so I'm always in fear.
But--
[LAUGHTER]
The challenge was the script.
Get a script right that could
sustain itself for 90 minutes
and really feel like a movie.
In the show, I lean on one
character and less on someone,
and then the next
week switch it around.
This-- everyone had
to have a full thing.
And like I said, the
script was extremely long.
I told Warner
Bros., the studio--
because they were very worried
about it-- I said, believe me.
We speak fast and these guys
are going to go, go, go, go, go.
So the movie is,
obviously, not long,
even though the script was.
But the script was
the biggest challenge.
And then these guys' schedules.
They all had different things
they were doing and finding
the time to get it in together.
But once we got into production,
it was pretty smooth sailing.
KEVIN VLK: And
we're going to start
taking audience questions,
if you guys want
to start lining up at the mic.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: And so, speaking
of the script-- oh, wow.
KEVIN VLK: He was ready.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: They are ready.
KEVIN VLK: Standing for
three hours, ready to go.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: Wow.
Before we get to them--
last question from us.
So speaking of the
script, you decided
to bring in-- I'll
call them villains--
the outside forces of
pseudo-evil that challenge
these guys, that are Billy
Bob Thornton and Haley Joel
Osment as the Larsens-- or as
Larsen and Travis McCredle.
What was the decision to bring
in an outside negative force,
as opposed to going with one
of the various challenges
that the guys have met
up against in previous--
DOUG ELLIN: I really wanted
to shed a light on what's
happening in Hollywood now.
The studios really are
farming these movies out.
And the hedge fund
guys and people who
don't care about movies at all.
And it's been the joke for
Hollywood for over 20 years,
that the studios don't
care about the movies.
Now you've got another
layer where it is just,
what is it worth?
What is each person's value?
So we just thought that was
an interesting way to do it.
And it's a very realistic
look at those guys.
Because there are those
guys that come in--
and I've had those
words said to me.
Like, I don't give a crap
whether this movie's good.
I only care if it makes money.
And when you put your heart and
soul into it, that's hurtful.
And obviously, you get it.
We all want to make money.
That's the business of it.
But you want to
make a good movie.
That's what you set out to do.
KEVIN VLK: Question?
AUDIENCE: Yeah, two questions.
First one, where's Lloyd?
And the second
question is can you
talk about your favorite cameo?
Each of you, who your favorite
person to work with was?
DOUG ELLIN: Where's Lloyd today?
AUDIENCE: Yeah, right now.
DOUG ELLIN: We saw him
last night at the premiere.
We should have
brought him, actually.
I don't know, I don't know.
He, actually, is
probably filming today.
Because he's doing
a new TV show.
And my favorite
cameo in the movie--
because it's so bizarre that
he's in the same movie as Gary
Busey-- is Warren Buffett.
It was just weird.
And Warren came to
the set because he
wanted to make a little film
with the "Entourage" guys
for the Berkshire Hathaway
stockholders meeting.
So I said, OK, but you're
going to be in the movie now.
And he was great.
He was a great sport.
KEVIN VLK: Actually, I want
to follow up with that.
There was a short film
that was released online
with Ari's character,
transitioning him
from the series into the movie.
Was that ever part of the movie?
Was it like, do we
want to include this?
Or was it just pulled?
DOUG ELLIN: Complete
separate thing.
But it was great because
Cadillac gave us an opportunity
to show that kind of bridge.
And that car doesn't exist.
So it was nice.
I saw that four years
ago, and it gave me
an inspiration for the movie.
But they're not even
planning on making it.
AUDIENCE: Hey guys.
Big fan of the show.
Questions for Doug,
Jeremy, Adrian.
What was more painful to watch?
E break his leg onset filming
the football scene or Turtle
get beat up by Ronda Rousey?
Thanks.
JEREMY PIVEN: By far,
seeing Kevin get hurt.
But--
[LAUGHTER]
Because Jerry--
JERRY FERRARA:
Because that was real.
JEREMY PIVEN: Yeah.
DOUG ELLIN: By the way,
that's a very Rob--
KEVIN CONNOLLY: I still
have a metal plate
and eight screws in my leg.
So I like to think that
that was a little bit more--
DOUG ELLIN: By the way, this is
a very Rob Gronkowski question.
Because Kevin-- Jerry
tackled him and Kevin said,
wow, I thought I
heard something pop.
And then 20 minutes
later, they tell me
that Russell Wilson
and Rob Gronkowski
are holding ice on his leg.
I think they're punking me.
And we go upstairs
and Gronkowski
wants to shoot him up
with a [INAUDIBLE] shot
to get him back on the field.
And he says, what else
do you have to do today?
And Connolly's says,
well, I have a sex scene.
And Gronkowski's
like, well, you can't
get shot up if you have sex.
And he's like, I'm
not having sex.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: Rob,
I hate to be the one
to break this to you, buddy,
but we don't actually have sex.
[LAUGHTER]
I don't actually have
to finish the deal,
if you know what I mean.
I just have to pretend.
Yeah, no.
I knew my leg was broken.
I think a few people did.
Doug was, I just
think, in denial.
Because I know Doug
is one of my buddies
and I know he would never
want me working hurt.
But I kind of walked, or
hobbled, around for a few days
on the broken leg.
And we actually-- when
I did-- some people just
thought I was exaggerating.
So we did this sex scene--
JERRY FERRARA: I heard it.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: I'm like,
Jerry, did you hear it?
It sounded like a
chopstick going crack.
That's what it
sounded-- literally.
So this girl is on top
of me, and I'm like,
you have to be
careful with my leg.
And she's like--
[LAUGHTER]
--rolling her eyes.
I'm like, no, my leg is broken.
She's like, OK, yeah.
Something's wrong with your leg.
So yeah.
No.
It hurt.
I mean, I got through it.
Thank god I had sunglasses
on and it was a party scene,
so I was basically drunk.
DOUG ELLIN: And he was
on Molly, so he could
act as weird as he wanted.
[LAUGHTER]
KEVIN CONNOLLY: Doug
was like, you really
looked like you were on drugs.
I'm like, oh I was.
I was on plenty of drugs.
He's like, all right.
Well don't tell
anybody because it
looks like you
can act, actually,
for once in your life.
[LAUGHTER]
DOUG ELLIN: I did not say that.
No.
ADRIAN GRENIER: Yeah.
I'd just like to say
from the back row,
I have never seen such a heroic
display as Kevin Connolly--
JERRY FERRARA: It
is true, though.
ADRIAN GRENIER: --playing
through the whole week
on a broken leg.
I would've ran crawling,
crying to mommy.
[APPLAUSE]
JERRY FERRARA: He deserves that.
DOUG ELLIN: And the truth
is-- almost any other day,
you can shut down for six weeks.
That day, when you
have Gronkowski there,
Russell Wilson, Clay
Matthews, there's
no way we're getting
them all-- Mike Tyson--
that you're going to get
them all back together.
So the fact the Kevin--
and again, no one
told him to keep going.
In fact, I actually kept
saying you need to hospital,
and he was like,
no, no, I'm fine.
But it did save us.
It really did.
KEVIN CONNOLLY:
But no one knew--
it's funny, too, because
you're around these people.
It's Gronkowski, Ronda
Rousey-- one person tougher
than the other.
And I don't know, I'm not tough.
I'm like, yeah, I
think my leg's broken.
And Ronda was like,
your leg is not broken.
I'm like, I'm pretty
sure it's broken.
She said, Kevin, if
your leg was broken,
you wouldn't be standing
here and we wouldn't
be having this conversation.
And I went, OK, I guess so.
JERRY FERRARA: Roll the cameras.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: That
makes total sense.
That makes total sense.
So yeah.
Keep drinking.
[LAUGHTER]
AUDIENCE: So my question
is towards the end
of the series, how
much influence did
Mark Wahlberg still have on it?
And the movie, as well.
DOUG ELLIN: Mark-- you know,
his influence didn't change.
And Mark, from the beginning,
let me have the reigns.
He said you can do what you
want with my life and mix
and match it with other people.
So Mark's best thing
was being a producer.
Which is-- I need
Martin Scorsese, in Mark
would call him up and
get him, you know?
Mark really got this movie made.
I ran into him-- I
thought the show was over,
and I ran into him and he
was like, where's the script?
Everyone's asking me,
every press junket I do,
for the "Entourage" script.
I'm like, oh, I don't know.
Is anyone really going
to want to make that?
And he said, I promise,
you write the script
and I'll get it made.
So Mark has been the real
definition of a producer.
But he's never gone
like, oh, here's a story.
Let's put this in
there, or whatever.
JERRY FERRARA: Yeah.
I think Mark believed in
us from the beginning.
That was one of the
best things he ever did.
At least, for me.
Speaking for me.
I mean, I felt very
confident at a young age,
knowing that a guy like Wahlberg
believed so much in this
and was putting his name on it.
And he was behind it.
Just felt good, confidence-wise.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: Yeah.
And he also gave
us the confidence
that there was a
market for the movie.
We didn't know.
We were all just like, well,
you know, but he was like, guys,
I know this is going to work.
Just like he's always done.
He's been a great
influence, across the board,
for the entire run of the show.
JERRY FERRARA: And
it's interesting.
From the beginning--
the scariest screening
I've ever had of
this was the pilot
at his house with his crew,
which is like 30 deep.
And obviously, Adrian is a
very different type of actor
than Mark is.
And it comes on, and his 30-- I
don't want to call them thugs,
but tough guys from Boston.
And Adrian comes on.
And one of them
goes, (BOSTON ACCENT)
Marky would kick the
crap out of that guy.
[LAUGHTER]
And the thing ended
and everyone was quiet.
And Mark got up and he was
like-- and I'm thinking,
the whole time, they hate
this, this is a nightmare,
this is the worst that
ever happened, you know?
And Mark got up and he goes,
we've got a huge hit here.
I guarantee it.
And he's been that
supportive since day one.
AUDIENCE: Hey guys.
I'm a huge fan of the show.
Saw the move last night.
Fantastic.
My question's actually for
Jeremy Piven, Ari Gold.
Well, two questions, actually.
First off, what is your favorite
Ari Gold insult that you've
ever done, show or movie?
And then the second question
is can we hug it out?
[LAUGHTER]
DOUG ELLIN: You want to
come up here and hug him?
For real?
JERRY FERRARA: He's approaching.
He's approaching.
[CHEERING]
KEVIN VLK: Adorable.
JEREMY PIVEN: Ah, the
gift that keeps giving.
DANA HAN-KLEIN: How much
do you hate Doug for that?
Do you love him?
Do you hate him?
JEREMY PIVEN: Oh, no, no.
It's all good.
Yeah.
That was one of those
moments where I was-- Kevin
and I were-- very early
on-- at the end of a scene
and they didn't yell cut.
So we just kept going and then
here we are 11 years later,
and people are asking to hug me.
So it's fantastic.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: At least-- they
say to me, let's hug it out,
you little bitch.
Get over here and hug it
out, you little bitch.
Literally, once a day, somebody
yells out at me outside
of their car window.
I'm like, how you doing?
Nice to meet you.
June 3.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: As
far as-- I almost want
to ask you guys what your
favorite Ari Gold insult was.
KEVIN VLK: I don't
think we can say them.
I have five and
I cannot say one.
DOUG ELLIN: If you saw
Jeremy as Ari Gold on CNBC
last week saying it's anal night
at the Gold's house on CNBC,
which is a line from season
one-- maybe the pilot, even.
I don't know.
JEREMY PIVEN: Yeah.
Well they asked
me to-- Doug wrote
a faux Ari Gold autobiography
called "Rules to Rule By."
And I went out to promote it.
And I was obligated-- literally,
contractually obligated,
I swear to god-- to
show up as Ari Gold.
And I had my publicist
tell all these people--
like, we're on live television.
You guys know that if I show
up as this character when we're
on "The Today Show"--
I know your live,
but how am I going to play
Ari Gold without swearing?
It would be like a UFC
fighter without striking.
You know?
You have to get-- and sure
enough, every show I went on,
I just started swearing.
And people were furious.
I had to apologize
to "The Today Show."
I just kept screaming-- can
I swear here, by the way?
I kept-- at one point, it was
like a hockey fight, where
you pull the jersey over
the other guy's head
and you just keep swinging.
I just kept screaming wrap it
the fuck up on live television.
And then I snapped out
of it and realized,
oh my god, what
has been happening?
[LAUGHTER]
KEVIN VLK: So Doug, what's
the balance of that?
Because some of the stuff
he says-- it's so funny,
but it's so crazy.
Is that why it works?
Because it's just
completely crazy stuff?
DOUG ELLIN: I've never,
ever censored it.
And the truth is it
is a special actor who
can say-- because again, most
of the lines are written.
And I've tried to
say them myself.
And if I said them, they
would be horrifying.
But Jeremy has an
intangible, like I
said, to be a lovable asshole.
And you know, at the end of
the day, that he loves Lloyd,
and that he has his back,
the same way these guys do.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: And also,
too, to Rex's credit,
Rex is tough as nails, man.
You're not going to hurt
his feelings at all.
Jeremy will say
they that he will
run it by Rex in the
morning and ask him
if it's OK if I talk about
things getting squirted
on your face or whatnot.
And Rex really doesn't care.
Right?
He's never-- he's just
tough as nails, Rex.
JEREMY PIVEN: Yeah.
He was always up for it.
He found it funny.
Nothing fazed him whatsoever.
So it made it a
little bit easier.
But there would be times
where I would read the script
and just think, there's
no coming back from this.
I will turn off everyone that
has ever watched the show.
And so that was our challenge.
It was really fun.
AUDIENCE: This question's
for Jeremy, as well.
You mentioned that you came
from an improv background.
So I was wondering what were
the inspirations, if any at all,
for the Ari Gold character?
JEREMY PIVEN: Well, as
Doug was saying earlier,
Mark Wahlberg is the
reason why we're all here.
And it's loosely
based on his world.
And Ari Emanuel is his agent.
It's no secret.
And Ari Emanuel is an
incredibly powerful agent.
Started William
Morrison and then
bought-- I mean, started
Endeavor, bought William
Morris, just took over IMG.
He's taking over the world.
And he is a fast-talking shark,
who is incredibly abrasive
and is brilliant and
prolific in what he does.
And has ADD and all these
wonderfully beautiful qualities
that you see in the
fictional character.
And I have heard that in the
middle of business calls,
he'll go, you want me
to be the guy from TV?
You want me to be the
guy from the show?
I'll be the guy from the show.
You want me to be the
guy from the show?
And I remember I was with
him in Vegas one time.
We were sitting there and
he said to the waitress,
I'm the real Ari.
You know I'm real Ari.
And I'm like, she doesn't
even know who the real Ari is.
Stop saying that.
She doesn't have cable.
It looks like you're insane.
Stop saying that.
[LAUGHTER]
KEVIN VLK: And so we're
going to wrap it up here
with a last question.
So what are your guys'
favorite character
moments from either the
series or the movie?
And just what you're most proud
of about the entire thing.
KEVIN CONNOLLY:
Well, for me, we were
able to do things
as a production crew
that TV shows at the
time weren't doing.
I mean, when we did
the Sundance episode,
we were there
shooting at Sundance,
and nobody really knew
who any of us were.
I mean, Jeremy has been around.
Jeremy's been in
a bunch of movies.
So people knew who Jeremy was.
But for the four guys, we were
just kind of walking around.
We looked like a little indie.
So we were stealing
shots at Sundance
and then we did the same
thing at the Cannes Film
Festival, and the U2
concert, and the Laker games.
So for me, the best
part of the experience--
and I'm sure the guys will
agree to a certain extent--
has been the live shooting
and some of the things
that, as a production,
the whole team effort
we were able to pull off.
JERRY FERRARA: For me-- and
credit to Doug on this, too.
The style of the walk and
talk, which is something
that we've done on this
show since the beginning,
where it's a three
or four-page scene
and it's either four or five
of us in the actual scene.
And it's one camera,
one shot, no cuts.
And it has a feeling
like a play, almost.
Because you can get 3/4 of
the way through the scene--
one little screw up and you're
going back to the start again.
So that always gave a new
kind of energy to a scene.
And you also know
if you knock it out
and everyone's on
top of their game,
you get to go home early,
which is always kind of fun.
[LAUGHTER]
But no seriously, that
added so much to the show.
I'd never experienced
anything like that.
And just having no
close ups, or nothing--
sharing the frame
with four guys.
And still, the scene is just as
equally funny, if not even more
funny.
It was always pretty cool to do.
ADRIAN GRENIER:
There's a misperception
that this show is only a guy's
show and, now, a guy's movie.
But that's, in fact, not true.
It's not just a bunch
of uncouth, crude guys.
There's a lot of
heart to this show.
And I think a lot of women
really respond to it.
And there's a moment--
[WOMEN CHEERING]
DANA HAN-KLEIN: You've got
some fans in the audience.
ADRIAN GRENIER: And
by the way, women
can be quite crude, as well.
[LAUGHTER]
But there are moments
in this movie-- and one,
in particular-- where
I literally tear up.
It's so touching and
beautiful the way
these guys treat
each other and how
they have each other's back.
And I really love
that about the show.
It's got so much dynamic
and so much depth.
And also just a lot
of superficial fun.
KEVIN VLK: Jeremy?
JEREMY PIVEN: God, I don't
even know where to start
because there's-- you throw
yourself into every scene,
every episode, every season.
Yeah, I think it would
actually be-- ultimately,
I think the movie is
better than anything.
It's like the culmination of
everything we've ever done.
And I don't know
if Doug knew when
he was writing, for instance,
that last episode, that he
was planting the seeds
to give, for instance,
Ari this conundrum.
To be the king of Hollywood
or to forget it all
and prove himself
to his wife that she
means the world to him.
But he, basically, planted the
seeds perfectly for the movie.
And I think the movie is
really about something.
And it is a male fantasy show,
but you won't see that coming.
That it really is about loyalty
and friendship and then,
ultimately, family and
all these great things.
So to do that-- to pull
it off-- and to make
it funny and entertaining,
and then to sit with audiences
and watch them laugh and
really get and be with it,
that's really gratifying.
KEVIN VLK: What about you, Doug?
Because you've just
seen the entire series.
DOUG ELLIN: I mean--
not to be corny.
The stuff with my
son-- I think Jeremy
said that my son-- when he was
five-- should play his son.
And he's not an actor.
I'm not trying to turn him
into one of these crazy kids.
So the only thing
he's done is this.
But those moments on the
set-- and, basically, he's
grown up with these guys.
It's not quite "Boyhood,"
but it's been great to watch.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: Not quite, no.
[LAUGHTER]
DOUG ELLIN: And honestly,
to watch him in the movie--
I don't know if you saw him last
night-- but the screenings I've
been to, he got a huge laugh.
And it just makes me very happy.
KEVIN VLK: Thank you
guys for being here.
ALL: Thank you.
JERRY FERRARA: Thanks for
making us feel welcome.
[CHEERS]
DANA HAN-KLEIN: The
movie's out June 3.
KEVIN CONNOLLY: Keep
it off the internet.
Please keep that shot
off the internet.
[LAUGHTER]
KEVIN VLK: All right.
Thank you, guys.
