Inside Jeremy Piven's Offstage Drama With 'Speed-the-Plow'

nytimes.com:

The actor, Jeremy Piven, stunned the theater world in December by bolting the revival of David Mamet's Hollywood drama "Speed-the-Plow," citing health concerns caused by mercury poisoning. Mr. Piven became the butt of late-night television jokes and was widely ridiculed as a hard-partying Hollywood dilettante who was not up to eight performances a week.

While the broad outlines of the battle have been known, the blow-by-blow account of the meltdown of "Speed-the-Plow" is laid out in the arbitrator's previously confidential ruling, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times. The arbitrator, George Nicolau, ruled in the actor's favor in late August.

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[SaucyB]

he should stick to Entourage. that role and being John Cusack's sidekick is all he's ever been any good at. OK, I did like that series Cupid, but I must've been the only one as I think it only lasted a few episodes

[JhNyc]

According to New York critics, he was also quite good in Speed-the-Plow.

[entopticon]

All of you sanctimonious ignoramuses that keep making fun of mercury poisoning should be ashamed of yourselves. What's next on your list to make fun of? Muscular dystrophy? Learn the facts before ranting about something that you clearly know absolutely nothing about. Mercury poisoning is a very serious thing.

[SuperBucky]

He didn't have Mercury poisening Bozo. Thats the point. No body is making fun of Mercury Poisnening just this egomanic..

[JhNyc]

His doctors disagree with you. Read the arbitrator's findings. No doctor ever disputed he had dangerously high levels of mercury.

[omobob]

Best excuse award since "the dog ate my homework". Way to go lazy boy.

[amdezurik]

to my mind being as lazy as you to find out facts first earns you the "lazy dipso" award

[egghumor]

I don't watch 'Entourage,' and haven't seen any of Mr. Piven's work, but I always supported his case. I was quite heartened to see that he prevailed in the end. Had the decision gone the other way, I think it would have been a very sad day for actors. It would have been open season for producers to sue and shame actors who are legitimately ill.

[ReelBusy]

A round of yellowtail for everyone, on Jeremy!