Jeremy Piven may or may not have a home in Austin. When Austin Lifestyle caught up with him prior to a preview sizzle of his latest film “The Performance’ being screened at Soho House, he evaded the question, saying, “I didn’t officially move here. I live in LA because my mom is there and she's very close to me, but I love it here. It's an amazing place.” Later, after taking a seat behind the drums to perform a few covers, the party moved to Alice + Olivia where he was joined by Jenny Shakeshaft, who produced “The Performance” along with Jeremy, Daniel Finkelman and Chaya Amor. During the celebration, which doubled as a sip + shop fundraiser for Enlight Unite Foundation, he clearly stated he does live (at least part-time) in Austin while doing standup at the store, to the amusement of passer-by. Here’s more on his thoughts on Austin, the film’s importance and more.
What do you love about Austin? The music scene is incredible here. The restaurants. It’s a thriving spot for stand-up comedy. People are just decent, amazing people. You can train here, be outside and jump on a stand-up paddle board, and it's just got a very authentic vibe.
Have you been to Comedy Mothership yet? I have not, but Joe is incredible. I can't wait to play there and see it because anytime a stand-up comedy spot is built by a comic, it's done in a way that is the best possible venue to perform and to receive comedy.
You’ve been doing a lot of stand-up the last few years, but now have several films in the pipeline. A comic said to me, ‘Your stand-up will make you a better actor,’ and I thought that didn't make sense. But, he was right. Performing every night, you're up there with your own material and you're connecting with the audience and you’re not getting rust on you as a performer. Acting is a momentum sport, so I feel like I didn't lose any momentum. It's been incredible and I’m doing the best work of my life right now. That's what's so great about being an artist. Athletes have to retire at a very young age, but as an artist, you just try to get better.
July it will be 20 years since the premiere of Entourage You and the world is obsessed with numbers. This is not a judgment, it's just not the way I live my life. Entourage feels like it was yesterday. Every time I step on a stage, they're screaming out, ‘Let's hug it out.’ People connected with that show, they still connect with it. During the pandemic kids in their early twenties were binging it. We’re living in a time where I hope the fear subsides on every level. I make a lot of jokes on why Entourage couldn't exist in today's climate and that's unfortunate, because the reality is, people just want laugh, they want to laugh so badly.
Who do you think Ari Gold would be today? I think there's parts of Elon Musk that are Ari Gold. I think he’s someone who doesn't come from a place of fear. Ari's a motivator and an equal opportunity offender and he would be misunderstood today, but wouldn't that be fun? Lloyd could be his politically correct consultant. The jokes could just write themselves. I think to take those characters and place them in the culture right now would be really funny and people would love it.
When you filmed “The Performance” the climate was different. What’s that been like now out promoting it? It’s a film Arthur Miller wrote as a response to 9/11, and the backdrop is pre-Holocaust, but it's a story that is layered and at its core about how far will one go to compromise themselves to be successful. I think that’s a very universal theme, It's also a love story. I related to my character so much. My mother gave me the story years ago and I've been after this film for 14 years.
And your sister directed it, so it's really a family affair. Completely. I read the story and I just thought it’s incredible and has to be seen. I didn't even think, ‘Oh, I'm going to play a tap dancer. I don't know how to tap,’ I just thought, ‘I need to do whatever it takes to get good enough.’ Every year they just kept saying no, so I got better and better at tap. It’s a great lesson that I want to tell everyone, which is all those doors will close for you, but just stay after it and the right time will emerge. Here we are, 14 years later, and I just got good enough to be able to pull this role off.
“The Performance” is still working on theatrical distribution. Yes. It’s doing great at film festivals, getting standing ovations and everyone who sees it loves it. I love it. I've done over 80 films and it's the best film I’ve done in my life, it’s the best work of my life.
If someone views the backdrop being pre-Holocaust as an obstacle because of what's going on right now, I see that as an asset because this is not a film that is a modern-day film or a take on what's going on now. The backdrop is history, and you can't dispute history. This isn't forcing anyone to believe any one way, it's not didactic in its message. It shows a time when my character doesn't look Jewish, and he hides the fact that he's Jewish to become successful. He thinks that art will override hate and he dances for Hitler. It's a heavy story. The reason I’m an actor and a storyteller is because that’s how I contribute to the conversation. When you see the film, my job is have you get lost in the story and that’s what I’m seeing. You're rooting for these characters, and then you see their behavior and you can make your own decision as to what would you do and how you feel about it.
I grew up in the theater. My father used to pick up the phone and literally go through the phone book and call people with a rotary phone and get them to come to the theater. That's what I'm doing right now. An apple doesn't fall far from the tree and we’ll do whatever it takes to get an audience, because I know this is an important film right now.