The real deal

Everything I need to know about Hollywood can be acquired through one show: “Entourage.” \nThe HBO series depicts the fictional young actor Vinnie Chase, played by Adrian Grenier, and his, well, entourage. This consists of his best friend turned manager, Eric (Kevin Connoly); older brother/ struggling actor/ brother, Johnny, played by Matt Dillon’s brother, Kevin; and childhood friend turned driver, Jerry Ferrara. Let’s not forget his super agent, Ari Gold, played by Jeremy Piven. \nAlso known for its special guest appearances, the show has been graced by everyone from Bob Saget to Scarlett Johansson to DJ AM. \nIt’s more real than any reality TV show and provides more in-depth insight than Us Weekly. And with Mark Wahlberg as an executive producer, you cannot help but make parallels between the lives of young actors.\nScheduled to hit its fourth season in April, “Entourage” shows the dichotomy between Vinnie’s professional and personal life. It focuses on the rise of Vinnie as a star – and his inner conflict between choosing what is best for his career and what is best for his integrity. While his hilariously high-strung agent urges him to go for blockbuster hits, his manager helps him stand by his Queens, New York roots. Do you take the next step in your career by playing in the biggest superhero film since “Spiderman,” or pursue an indie flick that beautifully portrays your childhood home? \nUpon watching “Entourage,” you get a rare look into decision making in the movie business. It seems easy to decipher between an amazing or awful film script after seeing a film, but in reality the script itself is in the hands of the director. This is why so many times deciding to work with a specific director is more important than picking a script. Also, the attitude of the studio is crucial, as are the connections you hold between important people in Hollywood. \nCelebs are always trying to come off like us normal folk in profiles and interviews by dressing casually or eating Taco Bell. They want to be relatable enough, but still want to glow. For most celebrities, drug addictions and egos usually get in the way of this, and most people loose sympathy. But with the characters in “Entourage,” you feel like they are real. You probably know a charismatic heartthrob like Vinnie, a hopeless romantic like Eric, a washed up loveable loser like Johnny and that one guy that always gets picked on like Turtle. The sense of family derived from this crew often makes you forget they are behind a famous actor, and not your best guy friends. \nBeing a successful actor in Hollywood means juggling a positive press reputation, which is mediated through a publicist, choosing the right career moves, assisted by a manager and agent and maintaining sanity with your personal life. What “Entourage” uniquely shows is that success in Hollywood, or anywhere for that matter is best shared with the people in your life that really matter.