Photo courtesy of HBO Actor Adrian Grenier filming on the set of his latest documentary, “Teenage Paparazzo.”The list is impressive: Bono, Martin Scorsese, Scarlett Johansson, 50 Cent, even Zac Efron. To catalog all the celebrities, professional athletes and musicians who have appeared on HBO’s “Entourage” would be quite a task. The show, which just wrapped its seventh season, is all about the glitz and glamor of Hollywood, so viewing an episode is a lot like staring into the evening sky — look long enough and eventually you’ll see stars.
This experience with celebrity culture was part what motivated “Entourage’” lead and Clinton Hill resident Adrian Grenier to make the documentary, “Teenage Paparazzo.” The film, which premieres Sept. 27 on HBO, features the actor on an introspective journey into how our culture treats celebrities as he follows 13-year-old paparazzo Austin Visschedyk.
Photo courtesy of HBO Mr. Grenier sits down with Austin Visschedyk, a 13-year-old paparazzo.Mr. Grenier said that making the film left a lasting impression on him. “I think that I gained perspective,” he said on the phone on Friday. “We all contribute to this industry, from all sides. We live in this society where we have freedom of choice to consume and purchase whatever we want through all this technology, but we still have the option to create content that we want people to see. Naturally, I have to be responsible for what I put out there. Being on ‘Entourage’ and being in the public eye, I do — to a certain extent — contribute to this industry and celebrity culture.”
When asked about what it’s like to be celebrity in Los Angeles, where “Entourage” is filmed, as opposed to in Brooklyn, Mr. Grenier said, “I appreciate the grounded nature of the people who live here [Clinton Hill]. But it’s obviously very different because I live in New York for most of the time, I grew up here, so there’s something about it that makes me feel very comfortable.” He also noted that California has its perks. “I like the laid back lifestyle,” he said about L.A. “I find myself lounging by the pool for days on end, while in New York I’m always up and at ‘em. But when ‘Entourage’ is on, I’m constantly stopped by people everywhere.”
In order to combat the trappings of that culture, he said, the road often leads back to Clinton Hill, and his longtime friendships here.
“I was just hanging out here with one of my friends from high school last night, and you know, he and I, we have gone through a lot of ups and downs,” said Mr. Grenier. “But I think friendships transcend celebrity.” The actor added that this same bond is what keeps “Entourage’s” characters, Eric “E” Murphy (Kevin Connolly), Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) and Johnny “Drama” Chase (Kevin Dillon) together.
Last season, the group’s closeness was tested as Vince, Mr. Grenier’s character, struggled with drug use. When playing a character, the actor said, “You want to play the dynamics and create layers, so I was excited to find a layer of Vince that hadn’t been explored. And I guess this is how the ‘Entourage’ characters survive too, they survive the downfalls of celebrity through their friendships.”
Mr. Grenier said that working on “Entourage” and “Teenage Paparazzo” has given him insight into the celebrity culture that he lives with, and has even changed his dealings with the paparazzi.
“After getting to know them [the paparazzi] and vice versa, I find that the relationship has improved. We’re not close friends, but more friendly, so when I see them, I think they’re less apt to run me down,” Mr. Grenier said, laughing. “And I think the lesson was to try and understand each other, so that there’s a mutually respectful relationship.”
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