Away from Vince Chase's shadow

Author: Maridol Rañoa-Bismark

Adrian Grenier may be the main man -- Vince Chase -- on HBO's hit series Entourage (Mondays at 11 p. m.). His piercing green eyes may stare at girls so intensely they melt at his gaze. He may play a big star with lots of money, a mansion and a retinue of female fans.

But save for a classier wardrobe as Vince, Grenier leaves all traces of the character he plays once he steps out of the set. Out of the set, the New Yorker hardly acts like the star of a long-running hit series. Yes, he loves the idea of retiring in a Beverly Hills mansion someday. But that's the only celebrity trapping he wants.

Otherwise, Grenier would rather be a team player than a star around whom the whole production universe revolves.

Could be because he's a director and writer himself -- of the documentary Shot in the Dark, which happens to be as personal to him as his own family. Grenier can emphatize with other people in the production.

"The more I direct and produce my own projects, the more I have appreciation for all the hard work producers and directors put in films I act in," he says. "It's very important for every actor to step on the other side of the camera to understand what the producers and directors go through so they (the actors) don't give directors a hard time. A lot of actors don't understand how difficult it is to make a movie. "

Strong words, these. And not so flattering for some fellow actors, too. But for someone whose feet are firmly planted on the ground, they're worth their weight in gold.

Grenier doesn't shop till he drops the way Vince does. In fact, Grenier is used to shopping only for necessities. That's why the biggest challenge for him is acting like a big star in Entourage.

"The biggest challenge for me in the show is trying to bring some of the angst of being a celebrity to it. Producers have been telling me to smile. I have to smile a lot more and enjoy myself even more," he admits.

Not that Grenier goes around wearing a frown. It's just that to him, being a celebrity is more than just waving at fans and smiling 24/7 for them.

It means, among other things, "choosing projects that uplift the viewing audience, that communicate about things that are important to us. "

He knows how potent film is as a medium of influencing people and culture. And so he believes in being responsible for his roles.

On Entourage, for instance, Grenier gets a big kick out of "holding a mirror up to Hollywood and saying it in a fun way. "

The fabulous Las Vegas scenes may floor every Pedro and Juan. The upcoming scene at Cannes during the fourth season may make jaws drop to the floor. But scratch the surface of these scenes and you see something else.

You see male bonding like no other.

"I think the most important thing about the show is that it's about friendship. And Vince recognizes the importance of maintaining friendships that help him navigate through the treacherous world of Hollywood. It's often very seductive and corruptive, and with the Entourage, he's able to successfully manage to stay away from the negative things in the business and just have a good time," muses Grenier.

The lessons, however, are not rammed down the viewers' throats. The series drives home the point subtly, while the guys play for high stakes, ogle at girls and zoom around town in their flashy, girl magnet of a car.

It's been this way for the past four years Entourage has been airing on HBO. It will remain this way, even now that the series is on its new season.

Only this time, Vince and his friends will finally push through with that dream movie they've been longing to make. The adventure, glamour and glitz continue. Through it all, the Entourage of five may make mistakes. But they will do it together. They will also pick themselves up together. More importantly, they will learn lessons they will never forget.

Source: The Philippine Star