Adrian Grenier: The Zimbio Interview

Adrian+Grenier in Premiere Of HBO Documentary Films'

Actor Adrian Grenier attends the premiere of HBO Documentary Films' "Teenage Paparazzo" at the Pacific Design Center on September 21, 2010 in West Hollywood, California. (Getty Images)more pics »For the last time: Vincent Chase is a fictional character. Adrian Grenier is an actor who plays him on TV. Entourage is just a TV show but real celebrities are people too.

Adrian Grenier says it's common for people to assume he's just like his Entourage character, Vincent Chase. (Getty Images)
Grenier made a documentary about the paparazzi industry when a teenager named Austin started snapping shots of him. Grenier essentially became an embedded journalist with Austin, and spoke to some fellow celebrities about getting photo stalked. The documentary, Teenage Paparazzo is now playing on HBO.

Zimbio: Were celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Matt Damon happy to talk about this subject?

Adrian Grenier: I was very lucky to talk to a few celebrities who were very willing to speak and share their experience with me, but it wasn’t easy because it’s a taboo subject on some level. No celebrity wants to risk retaliation. Of course they didn’t know the kind of movie I was making. They had to trust me, but I guess it’s because of Michael Moore there’s this assumption that if you’re making a documentary it’s going to be this exploitive, combative piece.

Zimbio: Isn’t it really the fans that create this problem? If they didn’t want to look at pictures, there’d be no magazines buying photos from paparazzi.

Adrian Grenier: You know, I don’t look at it as all that bad of a thing. I wouldn’t give it that much credit personally. To me, my main goal I think is to just put into perspective and recognize that tabloid and gossip magazines is entertainment. That’s what it is. It’s not news. It’s not going to change your life. It’s just some simple indulgent entertainment. It’s not unlike what we do on Entourage. We tell stories about celebrities.

Zimbio: Just like you need me to get the word out on this film and I need you to make money.

Adrian Grenier: We’re in the entertainment business.

Zimbio: Doesn’t cooperating with the photographers make you look better anyway?

Adrian Grenier: I don’t mind. I hope you make me look good.

Zimbio: What do you miss getting to do anonymously?

Adrian Grenier: Public urination.

Zimbio: Am I corrupted by this too?

Adrian Grenier: I don't think purity is the goal. There’s no fun in purity. There’s no wisdom in purity. Would you want just pure pasta? No, you want to corrupt it with some salt and some flavor.

Zimbio: So I’m the pasta and celebrities are the sauce. I like that.

Adrian Grenier: I’m by nature philosophical and I sort of live in the gray. I don’t see things as black and white and I don't think it’s healthy to be absolute about anything. My mom showed me the dangers and the consequences of my actions and I always thought that was a very useful parenting technique: not telling me what to do, just telling me all the different possibilities so I could make my own choices and what the consequences might be. So it’s up to you.

Zimbio: What do people get wrong about you?

Adrian Grenier: Well, they think I’m Vince. They want me to be Vince. It’s interesting. On some level, I embody this figure that people want to be real. They want me to be that playboy guy and I’m encouraged to be it. When I see people out in the world, they want to do shots with me. They want to go live the lifestyle and indulge.

Zimbio: Where are all those Hollywood orgies?

Adrian Grenier: I’ve been looking. They don’t exist. It’s this sort of perpetuated illusion, this myth that doesn’t exist. I live life vicariously through Vince every day shooting Entourage and I’m like, “Wow, he has the best life. I wish I had his life.” I’m no different. I envy Vince.

Zimbio: Have you always been on Vince’s side as Entourage has gone on?

Adrian Grenier: Yeah. At the end of the day, he’s just one of the guys. He’s just one of the boys.

Zimbio: Didn’t you ever think he’s not a team player and he’s burning some important bridges?

Adrian Grenier: No, I always believed that his main goal was to keep the family together, to keep the boys together. I think that’s what he’s struggling with right now. When everybody’s growing up and flying the coop and leaving the nest, he almost feels betrayed on some level. He spent all this time, he’s been so generous to keep everyone together and what they need is their independence but what he needs is them.

Zimbio: Has Entourage made the public feel they know the industry?

Adrian Grenier: And I think they do. It’s surprisingly accurate.

Zimbio: How did it feel to see pictures of the big curly hair you used to have?

Adrian Grenier: I miss it. It’ll come back though. I’m going to keep it short for a while.

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