Mark Wahlberg Entourage TCA Summer - P 2011
Frederick M. Brown/Getty ImagesAdrian Grenier and his fellow actors and producers graced the Beverly Hilton stage Thursday to bid farewell to HBO’s long-running series Entourage.
“We’re all choked up,” the actor who plays Vincent Chase told members of the press gathered at the Television Critics Association tour. “Truthfully, we’ve been together for eight years… creating something we’re very proud of.”
Adds Jerry Ferrara (Turtle) of wrapping the show’s final season, “It’s very very bittersweet for me … You just wonder if it’s ever going to be like this again.”
Creator Doug Ellin huddled with producer and early inspiration Mark Wahlberg to figure out how to tie up the show’s eight seasons. The pair sat down before Ellin started writing any of the series’ episodes to decide on the feeling that they wanted to leave fans with after the show’s lengthy run. “We really wanted to leave viewers with an element of, ‘We loved hanging with these guys and we’ll miss them,'” said Ellin, with his cast seated beside him nodding in agreement.
Still in sentimental mode several weeks after production wrapped, the actors used the half hour panel to reminisce about the final day of shooting –“it was like acting in the middle of a riot,” said Piven of the crowds of people who turned up– and the mementos that they took with them. “I took my E paperweight off my desk,” said Kevin Connolly (E), while Piven pointed to Ari Gold’s watch now dangling from his wrist.
VIDEO: THR’S ‘Entourage’ Roudtable
As for what’s next, Walhberg and Ellin once again discussed their desire to continue the show on the big screen. “I said if I had to finance it myself, I’d do it,” reiterated Wahlberg, with Ellin adding, “We’re going to do a movie, it’s a question of when and how quickly.”
