When asked to finish the sentence “Adrian Grenier is…,” the star defines himself as a “mover and a shaker.” His self-assessment couldn’t be more accurate.
Now that Warner Bros. has given the greenlight to its longawaited Entourage movie, Grenier assures us that he’s been anything but idle in between stints playing Hollywood heartthrob Vincent Chase.
“I don’t believe that when you have nice things that you should hoard them. You need to give them away and make sure they get the most use.”
In fact, one might say that the 36-year-old actor has been displaying a truly entrepreneurial spirit: he has been hard at work evolving SHFT , the digital media platform he co-founded with Peter Glatzer that allows users to read, watch, shop and share all things sustainable, performs with two bands, The Honey Brothers and Kid Friendly, finished shooting the comedy Goodbye World, has partnered up with Oakley for a showcase at SXSW and created Wreckroom Records, a studio in his Brooklyn home that allows bands to record songs and film videos for free.
Despite all that he has going on, Grenier inexplicably sounds relaxed, for such a man with so many fingers in so many pies. “Actors have a lot of free time, and they always end up vacationing in the Bahamas. I prefer to do something with my free time,” he declares. He then begins to discuss his latest labor of love Wreckroom.TV, a gathering place for bands, friends and fellow musicians to write, record, and perform which he launched in late 2012.
“It initially started because I have this beautiful studio that I couldn’t use enough because I was traveling so much. I felt like it was just a wasted opportunity to really make the most of it,” Grenier says now, adding, “I don’t believe that when you have nice things that you should hoard them. You need to give them away and make sure they get the most use.”
This philanthropic spirit prompted the actor to invite friends over for impromptu jam sessions. “Being a music lover, I tend to have a lot of musician friends who really appreciated the opportunity. We were making really good tracks and decided to start making videos of each song in order to share the music with people. Especially in today’s fragmented music industry, the best way to even consider making any money is to build an audience,” he explains.
Though he has adamantly declared in the past that he did not start Wreckroom to become a music manager, he does admit to fostering deeper relationships with some of the artists who stop by his hipster home: namely, a band called The Skins.
Though Grenier has hardly had time to miss the character he played for eight seasons, he does acknowledge that Vince is, as expected, a part of him.
“It’s not our primary function to seek out new talent, but with The Skins we’re more on a management level,” he admits. “We’re looking to give them a boost and guide them a little bit. We believe they’re going to be pretty big, but we’re not arrogant enough to think that they won’t outgrow us.”
He explains that taking on a quasi-management role was organic, but that he won’t be changing career paths permanently any time in the near future. “I don’t know if I’m looking to manage as a full-time career,” he states. “I’m just looking to grow Wreckroom into an established, respected voice and become an incubator for great raw talent.” He adds, “From my experience in the entertainment business, I have a lot of contacts and relationships. With The Skins, I was willing to put a little time in, make some calls and put them in front of the right people.”
How very Vince Chase of him, wouldn’t you say? For those who aren’t in the know, Chase is the name of the iconic character he played on Entourage from 2004-2011. The HBO series produced by Mark Wahlberg and Steve Levinson followed the insider exploits of an up-andcoming Hollywood star and his motley crew of childhood friends from Queens, New York.
Though the series wrapped less than two years ago, it’s making a comeback, this time on the big screen. Though Grenier has hardly had time to miss the character he played for eight seasons, he does acknowledge that Vince is, as expected, a part of him.
“I don’t feel quite myself these days, so I’m ready to feel a little Vinnie Chase,” he confides. “I certainly had an identity crisis as of late, being him for so long. People on the street refer to me as ‘Vinnie’ so often that I might as well just be Vinnie.”
As the film has just been given a go, very little has actually been confirmed other than the fact that series creator Doug Ellin will direct the script. “I’m pretty confident in Doug and the team, and I’m just ready to play whatever fantastic things they create for me,” Adrian says now. “I’ve heard some stuff [about the direction of the script], but I’d be cautious to reveal it before it’s official.”
Of a rumored appearance by President Obama, he says, “I think if he has some spare time, maybe he’ll grace us with a cameo. Maybe Vince will go into politics.”
Though he can’t confirm what will happen in the film, Grenier does have some thoughts on the fate of his character, who was last seen getting on a plane to France, imminently about to marry a Vanity Fair writer named Sophie. “I imagine that there will be some speculation about what happens [to Vince and Sophie]. I don’t know how it pans out. But will Entourage be as fun if Vince is married?” he wonders. That, of course, remains to be seen. But one thing is certainly clear, and it is that Adrian is content to once again step into Vince’s shoes for one very good, very specific reason. “He’s got great eyebrows,” Grenier deadpans. “I’m proud to have eyebrows as fantastic as him.”
