Jeremy Piven Mocked By Former Castmates

Almost a week after Jeremy Piven abruptly pulled out of Broadway's "Speed the Plow" citing a high mercury count, the story continues to develop.

Piven's theatrical castmates Raul Esparza and Elizabeth Moss have now joined playwright David Mamet in making fun of the "Entourage" actor and implied they are happy he is gone.

Fox News had a spy at Sunday's matinee and reports:

Sources say that when the matinee was finished yesterday, Esparza suddenly addressed the audience...

According to those who saw this, Esparza -- famous for being outspoken -- reamed Piven while Moss, my sources say, "sobbed."

"'He said, I'm sure you've read the headlines about the silliness in our show.' Then he said, Today was the first time I really enjoyed playing this show.' I hope you weren't expecting a big TV star." It was pretty emotional."

Esparza has a reputation for being lively -- and much of a diva himself.

Meanwhile actor Fisher Stevens has come to Piven's defense:

"I believe him. His numbers are off the charts," Stevens, who suffered from mercury poisoning this year, told Page Six. Stevens says that while he was producing his upcoming Sundance entry, "The Cove," a documentary about the slaughter of mercury-loaded dolphins in the Far East, he ate fish four or five times a week. "I started feeling really sluggish and had no energy. It turns out the larger the fish, the higher the levels. I only eat small fish now."

Comments

[StopThePress]

1. Jeremy Piven is a talented actor on and off Broadway-Mockery sounds more like-jealously. He could also be an A-hole, but who knows and who cares.

2. To those who say he is faking- If he made up the mercury poisoning excuse( which I doubt) why are you so upset? If he is faking and just trying to get out of the show...its his own business.

I love how people get upset about celebrities.....like they [celebrities] are trying to insult the general public. find something worth getting angry about.

[zenlikejen]

Not terribly shocking...in this day & age, people seem to go out of their way to be offended by BS that actually does NOT effect them in the slightest.

[sheputstheLinPAIN]

He's a well-known class-A jerk, but not a slouch.
Socially, he is reaping what he has sown.
Professionally, it sounds like a bum rap.

[ritz]

WHAT IS EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT?? I don't get it. I saw the play, Priven was excellent, completely up to the part. The whole cast was great. Everyone seemed comfortable on stage, I sat in the balcony, I had no problem hearing anyone's lines. It was a very good evening in the theater, and I see a lot of plays, both on Broadway and off.

If he was trying to get out of his contract, it wasn't because he couldn't hack it. He was good. Anyone who says otherwise, didn't see it.

[jerseywolf]

I'm happy that you wrote this. Piven has stage experience. He's a strong stage actor. People want this to be a simple story about a Hollywood type who can't hack the stage. But Piven grew up in a theatre family, out in the Chicago area. Whatever the nature of his illness, he knows his way around a stage.

[ritz]

Thank you Jerseywolf! I mean, I don't know anything about the man, his personality, or his problems. I'm just saying, he gave a strong performance. Period. They can't take that away from him.

[fodel]

Mercury poisoning is no joke... and it's disturbing to think we're getting it delivered in our tuna sandwiches and other sea food meals. Where's the FDA when you need them? I once worked at a Los Angeles DWP facility which used DC/AC mercury converters and vented mercury vapor -- the most toxic form of delivery -- into the air not 100 yard from the L.A. reservoir in Sylmar. I'll bet nobody every read about that little set up which was finally closed down in the late 80's or early 90's. I complained to my supervisor about the dangers on a Thursday, and found myself transferred to downtown L.A. on the following Monday.

[shengirl]

supposedly he ate sushi twice a day. I love Mamet's comment that he "left to pursue a career as a thermometer."

[Peter97624]

Broadway people - except the "very top people" - seldom make anywhere near what TV and Movie People make...........and I seriously doubt that has changed. Sounds like pure JEALOUSY TO ME ! Jeremy will go onto bigger and better 'projects', while these "lesser knowns" will just flounder. THAT'S SHOW BIZ < FOLKS !

[Alvin4NY]

Not really. Hollywood already has an actor that's 5'2, balding, and full of himself. Tom Cruise. Maybe Jeremy can play his brother in movie.

[BrooklynBookWorm]

As a regular theater-goer, I've seen far too many film and TV actors founder in Broadway shows, I have no sympathy for Piven. Making yourself heard without amplification (still the rule for non-musical plays) requires technique. Eight shows a week requires stamina. I once met the man who understudied all four leads in SPAMALOT. In the early weeks, he went on at almost every performance, as the stars learned to pace their bodies and voices for the show's demands. But they all learned how to cope, and the understudy got many nights off.

SPEED THE PLOW is not a physically demanding show: no stunts, no intermission, a running time around 90 minutes. If Piven can't cope because of his diet, well, I endorse David Mamet's response: "I wish him a great career as a thermometer."

[YeahDonkey]

Cry all you want about Piven, 99% of them would give their left nut to play Ary Gold.

[RudyV]

Who?

[personalpolitical]

Damn right!

[ProudLiberalDan]

I don't wish Piven any ill will.

But, this excuse does sound like the excuse you give before you check into Betty Ford.

The show must go on. To any theatre professional, 8 shows a week is standard. I have a hard time believing this that is the FULL reason he left the show. If it is, then I think he's a wuss.

[indywoman]

Jeremy Piven is a very very very talented actor. I LOVE him in Entourage. I loved him on Ellen. I always love his roles. I don't know any other actor who could be as good as he is in that role on Entourage.

It makes me sick that non actors come here and criticize actors. These are people who entertain us. They have to stay thin and look good every time they leave the house. They are stalked like prey every day, yet they have to stay in the public eye to remain relevant. The next job is never guaranteed.

I guess its easy to be negative, and to bash people based on rumors. Its pretty pathetic.

[SeanONe]

Not as pathetic as defending someone on the exact same basis. As for "They have to stay thin and look good every time they leave the house" there really should be some kind of automatic torture for statements so pathetic.

[awright2002]

They don't have to do sh!!. There is a reason why they make as much money as they do. The ones who do it for the love of acting don't have to live life like that. Don't get me wrong, I think Piven has been really entertaining in all the work I have seen him in, but don't try to defend his "tough" lifestyle, when that is what he chose, to make the money he is making. You always have to accept the good with the bad.

[Alvin4NY]

Yeah, poor movie stars. They've got it rough. They should really get a paper-route instead.

[elbowguts]

You heard it hear first: Three "verys" for the talented Jeremy Piven.

He's a mediocre actor at best. He has good comic timing, but other than that is just someone who worked hard and got lucky.

I can't imagine anyone but Sylvester Stallone as Rocky, but that fact does not make him a great actor.

[Anastasia]

Whether Piven is seriously ill or not, mocking him publicly, the way his cast mate did is appallingly unprofessional.

For one thing, what if Esparza is wrong? What if the Piven really is sick?

[DirkNYC]

I saw him boxing at the gym two weeks ago with a trainer. He didn't seem tired.

[skunky93]

But he just started feeling sick last week so your comment is useless, DIrK.

[asus389]

Oh for christ sake, cut the guy some slack. Its entirely possible he has mercury poisioning from eating fish. Its not that hard to get. NYtimes did an article that showed eating 6 pieces of tuna sushi was enough to get your levels above normal. Even if he is a total d-bag, hes a good actor, and nobody should have to suffer through the hell that is heavy metal poisioning.

[crutnacker]

I remember seeing PIven on SNL a year or two ago and getting the distinct impression he was angering the entire cast. He seemed unprepared and under the influence. In the Goodnights it looked like people were trying to distance themselves from him.

[ENK727]

I'm sure being on broadway and acting in a live play with like 8 shows a week was exhausting for an actor that isn't used to it on top of the mercury poisoning. Sounds like his castmates didn't think too highly of him. Sounds like they were pretty annoyed to come out and say something like that .. ouch!!

[Viper]

I thought it was 2 shows a day .. 6 days a week...

Regards

[Valalala]

Nope, it's usually 8 shows a week (6 days) However, I believe he had already insisted on doing only 6 shows a week, so he was already doing less than the rest of the cast.

[Sephirothii13]

look, if he does have mercury poisoning that is nothing to Mock. It's something that could be deadly. Ask Stephanie Miller, and her numbers weren't that high from what she says.

[lizziekw]

I mock and a creep like Piven deserves it. I don't believe this mercury poisoning story from him for even one minute.

Who is Stephanie Miller?

[duckcrackers]

If he's really eaten that much sushi, I only have one thing to say. I'll take one Piven roll with a side of wasabi.