Doug Ellin, who created “Entourage,” is furious over a new ad from Jake Paul’s betting app Betr that reunites Jeremy Piven and Adrian Grenier in roles clearly modeled on his HBO series.
The nearly four-minute spot follows Piven’s character through a mansion party, trading barbs with NBA players Lonzo and LiAngelo Ball before pitching a movie role to Grenier’s character on a yacht. Though the actors technically appear as themselves rather than as Ari Gold and Vincent Chase, their dialogue and swagger echo the show almost note for note. Piven posted the ad Monday with the caption “I found my boy,” tagging Grenier, who responded by teasing fans with an apparent nod to a long-rumored reunion.
Ellin didn’t share the enthusiasm. He called the commercial “trash and theft” in a post on X, telling the app’s makers to write their own material instead of trading on his show’s legacy. In a separate video posted to Instagram, he said he had fielded hundreds of messages about what he described as a cheap, shoddy copy of years of writing and casting work, adding that watching it made him want to be sick.
Ellin also took a swipe at Piven directly, recalling that he had to talk the actor into joining the series originally and that Piven kept his distance from the role for years afterward. He said Piven’s willingness to revisit the character now comes down to money, though he insisted his frustration wasn’t rooted in bitterness and that he wants everyone involved to profit — just not by recycling his work.
A spokesperson for Betr pushed back, saying the company was thrilled to bring the two actors together and that the campaign had already drawn close to 10 million organic social views within a day of release. The statement thanked Ellin for watching and, in the company’s words, helping promote the spot.
“Entourage” ran on HBO for eight seasons between 2004 and 2011, earning 14 Emmy nominations and six wins, including three straight for Piven’s supporting performance. A feature film continuation followed in 2015, and Grenier has said he and Piven remain open to reviving the show in some form.
