Adrian Grenier
Adrian Grenier | |
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![]() Grenier at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, April 2007 | |
Born | Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S. | July 10, 1976
Occupation(s) | Actor, director, musician |
Years active | 1997–present |
Adrian Grenier (born July 10, 1976) is an American actor, musician and director. He is best known for his lead role on the HBO original series, Entourage, as Vincent Chase.
Early life
Grenier was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the son of Karesse Grenier and John T. Dunbar. His parents met at a commune in the 1970s, and were never married.[1][2][3] His father was from Ohio and was of European ancestry; his mother was born in New Mexico to a Hispanic family, with Mestizo roots; a DNA test, on the PBS program Finding Your Roots, showed Adrian to have approximately 8% Native American ancestry and that his matrilineal line was Native American.[4][5]
Grenier was raised by his mother, a real estate agent, in Manhattan, New York.[6][7][8] He went to Bard College in New York.
Career
In 1997, Grenier made his film debut in the independent drama Arresting Gena. In 1999, he played opposite Melissa Joan Hart in Drive Me Crazy as well as in "(You Drive Me) Crazy", in 2001, starred in James Toback's Harvard Man . In 2002, Grenier made his directorial debut with the documentary, Shot in the Dark. The documentary chronicles his years-long search for his father, with whom Grenier's mother broke up when Adrian was still a baby. Grenier and Dunbar remained estranged for 18 years, and in 2001, Adrian began work on the documentary in an attempt to forge a relationship with Dunbar. The two eventually reunited and maintain a warm relationship.[9] HBO premiered the documentary on June 3, 2007.
In 2004, Grenier landed the lead role in the HBO series Entourage, which has brought him his most substantial notice and success.[10] In 2006, he won a role in The Devil Wears Prada, as Anne Hathaway's boyfriend, Nate. In 2007, People magazine ranked him #7 in its annual list of Sexiest Men Alive.[11]
On June 2, 2008, Grenier's new show, Alter Eco (not to be confused with Fair Trade importers Alter Eco), premiered on Planet Green. The show features the actor and his team of green experts showing changes that can be made to become more eco-friendly.[12]
On December 17, 2009, Grenier and his business partner Peter Glatzer founded the green lifestyle site shft.com.[13]
On September 27, 2010 HBO premiered the documentary Teenage Paparazzo, a film concerning the relationship between the celebrity and society that Grenier worked on for three years as a producer. The work features interviews with celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan, Alec Baldwin, and Whoopi Goldberg.[14]
In addition to being a filmmaker, Grenier is also a musician, playing guitar, drums, French horn, and the piano. He is a member of two New York bands, lead singer in Kid Friendly and drummer in The Honey Brothers.[15][16]
In 2012, Grenier partnered with a Seattle, Washington brewery and former Nike designer Jim Hawkins to found Churchkey Can Company.[17]
Grenier is a Democrat and supporter of President Obama, particularly his environmental policies, and attended the 2012 Democratic National Convention.[18]
Filmography
Films
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Arresting Gena | Kabush | |
1997 | Hurricane Streets | Punk | Alternative title: Hurricane |
1998 | Fishes Outta Water | ||
1998 | Celebrity | Darrow's Entourage | |
1998 | The Adventures of Sebastian Cole | Sebastian Cole | |
1999 | Drive Me Crazy | Chase Hammond | Also appeared in the video for the quasi-title song by Britney Spears, "Crazy". |
2000 | Cecil B. Demented | Lyle | |
2001 | Harvard Man | Alan Jensen | |
2001 | Artificial Intelligence: AI | Teen in van | |
2002 | Love in the Time of Money | Nick | |
2002 | Hart's War | Pvt. Daniel E. Abrams | |
2002 | Shot in the Dark | Himself | Documentary film, director, producer |
2003 | Bringing Rain | Clay Askins | |
2003 | Anything Else | Ray Polito | |
2004 | Tony N' Tina's Wedding | Michael | |
2005 | A Perfect Fit | John | |
2006 | Across the Hall | Julian | Short film, associate producer |
2006 | The Devil Wears Prada | Nate | |
2006 | Euthanasia | Writer, director | |
2007 | Off Hour | Bruno | |
2008 | Adventures of Power | Dallas Houston | |
2009 | Where Are Who Now | Director, producer | |
2010 | Teenage Paparazzo | Himself | Documentary film, director, producer |
2012 | How To Make Money Selling Drugs | Himself | Documentary film, director, producer |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Freshening Up | Noah | Short film |
2004–2011 | Entourage | Vincent Chase | 96 episodes |
2008 | Alter Eco | Himself | 9 episodes Executive producer |
2010 | 90210 | Himself | 1 episode |
2011 | A Day in the Life | Himself | Pitching an idea to Richard Branson |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Title of work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | Teen Choice Award | TV – Choice Chemistry | Entourage (Shared with Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, and Jeremy Piven) | Nominated |
2007 | Teen Choice Award | Choice TV Actor: comedy | Entourage | Nominated |
2007 | New York International Independent Film and Video Festival | Best Actor | Off Hour | Won |
2007 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Entourage (Shared with Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Rex Lee, Debi Mazar, Jeremy Piven, and Perrey Reeves) | Nominated |
2008 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Entourage (Shared with Rhys Coiro, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Rex Lee, Jeremy Piven, and Perrey Reeves) | Nominated |
2008 | Vail Film Festival | Blue Sky Tribute Award | Won |
References
- ^ Ryan, Jim (May 27, 2007). "'ENTOURAGE' OF STAR'S '2 DADS'". New York Post.
- ^ "Adrian Grenier Biography – Yahoo! Movies".
- ^ "Adrian Grenier Biography".
- ^ Stated on Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., May 20, 2012, PBS
- ^ Jurgensen, John (March 22, 2012). "Doubling Down on DNA". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Keck, William (2004-08-12). "No need for his own 'Entourage'". USAToday.com.
- ^ "Breakout Star: Adrian Grenier – Adrian Grenier : People.com".
- ^ http://www.npr.org/2012/03/23/149222907/helping-celebrities-find-their-roots
- ^ "Adrian Grenier Talks About Finding His Father – Adrian Grenier : People.com".
- ^ Adrian Grenier
- ^ "The Sexiest Men Alive 2007 - Adrian Grenier". People. November 26, 2007. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
- ^ Planet Green
- ^ "Adrian Founds Shft.com". Adrian Founds Shft.com. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "Ministry of Gossip". The Los Angeles Times. September 22, 2010.
- ^ TreeHugger.com, Adrian Grenier and the Honey Brothers Talk Green Living at the Wanderlust Festival, 2009
- ^ ""Adrian Grenier pic, poster, close-up pics & event picture" April 14, 2008".
- ^ "Actor Adrian Grenier teams up with Portlanders to bring back beer in flat-top cans", oregonlive.com
- ^ McDevitt, Caitlin (September 7, 2012). "'Entourage' star talks up Obama". Politico.
External links
- 1976 births
- Actors from New Mexico
- Actors from New York
- American film actors
- American film directors
- American film producers
- American television actors
- Hispanic and Latino American people
- American people of European descent
- American people of Native American descent
- Bard College alumni
- Living people
- New York Democrats
- People from Brooklyn