The ability to walk the line between doing a role justice and then stepping away from it is something that has always come naturally to Jeremy Piven. The Golden Globe and Emmy-winning actor became known for his role as Vincent Chase’s aggressive, womanising agent Ari Gold in HBO’s Entourage, but he has now decided to put his comedy skills to the test.
After sexual misconduct allegations were made against him in 2017 and 2018, Piven took a hiatus from the industry for a time, but is now back with his first big film since then. Sweetwater, a biographical drama about basketball player Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, has landed the actor his biggest role in years, and while Piven is obviously proud of the project, he’s also eager to get back into stand-up and use his newfound platform to make people laugh.
Piven is now on a press tour for Sweetwater and was recently on Good Morning America and Sherri Shepherd’s daytime talk show, where he coyly refused to answer questions about the allegations against him. He did, however, say he’s “proud to be part of this movie” and that he hopes fans of Entourage will watch it too, adding that he knows the cast has gone on to do some amazing work.
Despite this, it’s clear the allegations still linger, and for many of Piven’s accusers, he’s a reminder of their traumas and pains. For example, actress Meador says that every time she sees the trailer for Sweetwater, it makes her physically sick. She says she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the incident, and feels Piven is “trying to avoid taking responsibility and acknowledging the wrongdoings that took place.”
As for why he’s transitioning back into stand-up, it comes down to authenticity. It’s a natural progression for the actor, who got his start as an improviser. He’s also been able to find some support from fellow comedian Russell Peters, who has been helping him with his writing and has been an important connection in Piven’s journey back into comedy.
For now, he’s focused on his new venture and is doing his best to keep up with his health regimen, which includes regular meditation sessions. He’s also been doing a lot of interviews for Sweetwater and says he has gotten some feedback from fans of Entourage who have told him they miss seeing the actor on TV. “We may have to give them what they want,” he teases. Watch the full interview below.