Adrian Grenier became famous playing an actor who becomes famous on cult cable show Entourage. Not such a big stretch, he admits to Melinda Houston.
''I've learned that 'no comment' is my friend," says Adrian Grenier. It's certainly one of those useful atch-all phrases, meaning anything from "Stop wasting my time with your stupid questions" to "Yes, I am as guilty as hell". In Grenier's case, it's probably mostly the former, although he could well use it to create an aura of slightly dirty mystery where, in fact, none exists. Which, for an actor whose star is rising, isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Grenier's ascending star is attached to Entourage, a break-out hit here on Arena among the cognoscenti. It revolves around Vincent Chase (Grenier), an unknown New York actor who's cast in a James Cameron blockbuster, is rocketed to stardom, and moves to LA with his three best mates - his entourage - who all, to varying degrees, enjoy the wealth, women and invites to cool parties Vincent's elevated status brings. It's smart, funny, irreverent, rude, simultaneously a paean to male bonding and an excoriating examination of the Hollywood "system".
But for someone who's actually quite famous, Grenier has managed -so far - to keep a pretty low profile. In Australia, in particular, he's really known only to pay TV subscribers who watch something other than sport; friends of pay TV subscribers who have been urged to buy boxed sets of Entourage; people who recognise him as That Cute Guy from The Devil Wears Prada; and thousands of young women who tuned into Rove last Sunday night and copped their first eyeful. And who will subsequently be taking out pay TV subscriptions and/or buying boxed sets of Entourage.
Because, as befits an actor cast as an actor on the fast track to stardom, Grenier is awfully cute. ("Not much for me to do today!" says the hair-and-make-up girl cheerfully.) But from the outside, it's difficult to gauge whether he's anything more than that.
Vincent Chase isn't a dumb-ass, but like many "heroes" he's probably the least interesting character in the show. In Entourage, Vincent largely facilitates the much more entertaining machinations of his entourage, especially the magnificent Jeremy Piven as his agent Ari.
And in his press, it's hard to tell whether the journalist only ever wanted a puff piece or whether Adrian Grenier is not, in fact, very bright. (God knows you don't have to be a mental giant to be a good actor. Especially when you're that handsome.)
The good news (or bad news, depending on how you deal with envy) is that Grenier's no dullard. Although he does freely admit to being a bit of a geek.
"I said 'Toodles!' earlier," he laughs. "And you can really judge yourself based on the company you keep. One day I looked around and the people I was hanging with, all my friends, are complete and utter dweebs. And I said, can I be the only cool person in this room? Chances are: no. Probably not." So, not stupid, a little geeky, maybe just a little guarded. And not, perhaps, entirely comfortable with the whole media-spotlight thing.
"I have grown to appreciate it more and be less rebellious and resistant," he says. "I guess that's part of just growing up, taking things with a grain of salt, not taking myself too seriously. But I was probably a bit resistant in the past. You'd have to ask Sarah, my manager, about that."
("No comment," says Sarah the manager over her shoulder.)
"But I also have a theory, it may not be right, but the more in-depth answers you give, the less likely people are to print it. If you actually have a conversation, you're pretty much free from it being repeated. Let it all out, and people aren't interested. They want the bites, the little quick nuggets."
He says he is - or at least, had been - prone to giving questions too much thought, and the answers too much space and time.
"And then I tend to get these anxious vibes from the person doing the interview, they want me to shut up. I constantly want to provide context, maybe get in a little deeper. And I end up talking too much."
Shutting up is a lesson Grenier's having to learn in another context, too, as interviewer rather than interviewee. He's currently making a documentary (it's his second - the first, about his search for his father, screened at the Toronto Film Festival last month) about the relationship between celebrity and paparazzi.
"It's been a prevalent experience in my life recently, a new experience that's fascinated and perplexed me so I wanted to try and figure it out," he says.
"I always find it interesting that the paparazzi would come out, there'd be this whirlwind of taking photos, the celebrities always seem taken aback. There was never really a relationship, there was always this invisible wall. I wanted to break that down. Get all the sides of the story. What service are they providing? How do they feel about it? Whether it is a despicable trade. Or not. Whether it's a worthwhile trade. Or not."
Paris Hilton, a friend but not a girlfriend, is part of the film. As is Noam Chomsky. "It's non-judgemental, we're not looking to vilify anybody," Grenier says. It's not about payback. "It doesn't really bother me that much, and I don't experience it as much as some other people." (Like, just for instance, Paris Hilton.) "But also, I don't have much to hide. It's kind of annoying sometimes but I'm not afraid of being exposed."
A rich, handsome rising star with nothing to hide? Can such a thing be true? Grenier flashes his million-dollar Vincent Chase smile. "No comment."
