Top 10 Entourage Facts

Okay, we know what you’re thinking. Marky Mark. The Funky Bunch. But aren’t we past that now? Over 20 years ago, Mark Wahlberg made his feature film debut in “Renaissance Man” and starred opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in the acclaimed 1995 film “The Basketball Diaries.” The collective experience of the actor’s early Hollywood years laid the foundation for a future HBO series, on which Wahlberg served as executive producer. Even the character of Johnny Drama was based on his real-life cousin, Johnny Alves.

Portrayed by Maury Chaykin, the character of Harvey Weingard is a Hollywood boss that most people wouldn’t want to mess with. But, of course, the show's crew does exactly that, by swindling the producer on a consistent basis. What viewers may not know is that Harvey Weingard is based on Miramax co-founder Harvey Weinstein, who was initially rattled by his doppelganger and reportedly threatened Kevin Connolly at a party. But after his tirade was spoofed in the series, Weinstein called to offer his approval. Oh, Hollywood: backstabbing and handshaking. Just another day at the office.

That Ari Gold can be a real piece of work. He’s a supreme dickhead and one of the more exaggerated characters to appear on the show. Well, not so fast. Ari Gold was based on a real person, and his name is Ari Emanuel, founder of the esteemed Endeavor Agency and brother of former White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel. In fact, the college roommate of Emmanuel was director Peter Berg, who Ari Gold once called in Season 5. In the real Ari’s mind, there was no one who could portray him other than Jeremy Piven, and he made the sure that deal was signed on the dotted line.

Do you ever wonder if Vincent Chase and company watched the Pacquiao/Mayweather fight? Well, they likely were at the fight, at least in theory, but if they watched it at home, it probably would have looked a little odd. Why? Well, because whenever the gang watched boxing on “Entourage,” it was always the same fight! Of course, there was that time when Turtle dominated some poor kid from Iowa playing a boxing video game. HBO could get their boys into any arena, but they couldn’t get them a deluxe cable plan.

Who coined “Let’s hug it out, bitch?” None other than Jeremy Piven himself. After learning that Kevin Connolly didn’t like human contact, Piven got all up in his grill with a touchy-feeling encounter that ended with the birth of this classic phrase. Could it really have come from anybody else? Such a line came naturally to Jeremy Piven, and his delivery made for one of the show’s signature moments. The next time you embrace with someone special, well, you know what to say.

“Aquaman!” This superhero film destroyed the box office and was directed by the legendary James Cameron. Okay, it’s not actually a real movie, but can you imagine how badass it would have been? The concept behind “Aquaman” was based on Mark Wahlberg’s first blockbuster “The Perfect Storm” – a slightly different tale starring the wrath of Mother Nature. But for the sake of the TV series, Vincent Chase boasted an ill-fitting orange suit and became the biggest damn fictional superhero of all time.

In the beginning, there were…TV executives. Yes, all it takes are a few grumpy suits to ruin the fun for everybody, and such was the case when “Entourage” was initially pitched to HBO. However, the original pilot focused on the idea that everybody hated a new movie starring Vincent Chase. After a few revisions and a little more spunk, series creator Doug Ellin pitched a new script that had executives drooling from their big fat mouths.

Remember Johnny Drama’s pad from Season 4? Well, let’s hope he furnished the place himself, because it was the former home of porn star Ron Jeremy. In fact, it was actually the same building, which led the adult film actor to frequent the set on occasion. You might say Ron Jeremy was inherent vice for the “Entourage” crew, since they were filming at an inherently porny location. But at the end of the day, it was Johnny Drama with the porn star name.

Life was good for Kevin Connolly back in 2000. After all, he was on top of the world after starring in the TV movie “Up, Up and Away!” along with a steady gig on the series “Unhappily Ever After” – a show for which he directed four episodes. Connolly appeared ready to focus on directing, but his life changed for the better when he found out that a character named “E” was written specifically for him. Today, nobody says “Hey, that’s Fin from “The Notebook.” No, they say: “That’s my boy “E” from ‘Entourage.’”

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- The “Medellin” Trailer Is Not A Real Thing Yet Still Very Real
- The “Entourage” Movie Reunites “A.I.” Stars
- Russell Wilson’s Movie Cameo Led to Kevin Connolly’s Broken Leg
- Russell Crowe and Barack Obama Declined “Entourage” Cameos

It’s been rumored that up to 50 celebrities will make cameos in the new “Entourage” movie, which stays consistent with the series’ extraordinary amount of guest appearances. Will Mike Tyson’s dream of a black Brady Bunch be fulfilled? Will Matt Damon have another charity meltdown? Will Bob Saget once again cockblock Johnny Drama? These are all important questions, and if only a fraction of Entourage’s many celebrity cameos appear in the new film, we’ll all be in for a treat. Buckle up, Mojoholics.

Do you agree with our picks? What is your favorite “Entourage” fact? For more mind-blowing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.