WGTC: Did you do any gambling with some of the cast and crew?
JF: Yes, there was some gambling. I used to gamble a lot more. I don’t anymore because it’s gotten way too frustrating. I had my one big winning run way back in the day when we shot Entourage.
WGTC: Beginner’s luck?
JF: Yeah, I had a five-day run where I won a lot of money and I haven’t won since. So I’m probably dead even in my gambling life. But there was definitely some fun at the craps table.
WGTC: You are going to be playing boxer Arturo Gatti. How are you physically preparing for that role?
JF: I’m almost killing myself. [Laughs] I’ve actually been on a pretty good health kick for a long time now. I’m at [Gatti’s] exact weight. I’ve started from the ground up. Three months ago, I started training with Jay Glazer, who’s an MMA and boxing trainer. I just started from the very beginning with footwork and now I’m a few months into it. I’m trying to live as much of a life as a boxer as I can. Boxers live such unique lives in how they prepare. There’s nothing like it. So I’m just trying to capture a little bit of that as much as I can every day. After this [interview], I’m actually going to get my ass kicked for an hour.
WGTC: And you get punched by Robert De Niro in Last Vegas. He, of course, played Jake LaMotta many years ago. Think you might ask your co-star for some sage advice on how to prepare for a role like that?
JF: If the opportunity presents itself, yes. Absolutely. But again, not wanting to overstep bounds, there’s such mystery and mystique in what De Niro did with that role. It’s so iconic. I don’t know. I guess, right place right time, I would absolutely ask some specific questions. But never wanting to overstep the bounds. He’s been very good to me and respectful.
WGTC: I know that nobody’s ever asked you about this, but what is the status of the Entourage movie?
JF: Wow! You’re right. This is the first time anyone’s asked me that. [Laughs] The status is still pending. It’s always been a goal to make the movie. It’s actually the closest it’s been since we’ve started this whole process. And we’re going to make it. That’s always been the goal, you know. If people want to see it, we’re going to make it. It’s gotten a lot closer. It’s very close and maybe there will be some good news very soon.
WGTC: Is there a script being prepared now?
JF: There’s a finished script. Doug Ellin’s finished the script and it’s damn good. And that’s always where it starts. That was step one and step one was accomplished. So, step two and three have taken a little bit of a moment, but all in due time, all with the best intentions.
UPDATE: The movie has now been confirmed.
WGTC: How frequently in touch do you keep with some of your Entourage co-stars?
JF: I mean, Kevin Connolly just called me while we were on the phone doing this interview, on the other line. Adrian [Grenier] and I text. He’s in New York so I don’t get to see him as much. It’s a family. These are my brothers. Even if we go weeks without talking, they can call me in the middle of the night and ask me to do the biggest favour for them, and it’s done. There’s a lot of love there.
That concludes our interview but we’d like to thank Jerry very much for his time. Be sure to check out Last Vegas when it hits theatres on November 1st.