Best known for his Golden Globe and three consecutive Emmy Award-winning performances as the fast-talking acerbic Hollywood agent Ari Gold in Entourage, actor Jeremy Piven InTouch is a household name with a diverse repertoire that spans multiple genres. His career started in theatre, where he trained at the Second City National Touring Company before making his television debut on Carol Burnett’s short-lived variety show Carol and Company in 1990. He would go on to appear on the sitcom Seinfeld in several episodes before starring and producing the short-lived ABC dramedy series Cupid and voicing the superhero Elongated Man for three seasons of the animated series Justice League Unlimited.
His first important role came in 1992 when he became a regular cast member on HBO’s The Larry Sanders Show, where he played head writer Jerry. He stayed with the show for two seasons before leaving to broaden his horizons and explore new roles.
Behind the Curtain: The Life and Times of Jeremy Samuel Piven
Piven’s filmography includes several critically acclaimed dramas such as Grosse Pointe Blank and Singles, as well as a wide range of comedies like Old School, Smokin’ Aces, Runaway Jury, Rock N Rolla, and The Goods. His performances in these films demonstrate his multifaceted talent and prove he is one of the most versatile actors working today.
Piven was born in Manhattan and raised in a Reconstructionist Jewish family of Ukrainian Jewish descent. His parents Byrne and Joyce Hiller Piven were both actors and taught theatre. He studied at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa before transferring to the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. He is also an alumnus of the Piven Theater Workshop that his parents founded. He has a sister, Shira, who is a film director.