Jeremy Piven Speaks Out

Jeremy Piven is speaking out against the producers of the Broadway play, Speed-the-Plow, after they filed a grievance yesterday against the Entourage actor, reports E! Online. Although the details of the grievance have not been released, Actors Equity spokeswoman Maria Somma said that the grievance could mean Piven is in violation of his contract.

"You can go to grievance over something that is in the contract . . . and somebody feels there is a violation of the contract," Somma explained.

However, Piven's publicist disagrees with the grievance, saying, "The claims made by the producers of 'Speed-the-Plow' are absurd and outrageous. . . . He withdrew from the play due to medical necessity on the advice of his doctors, after he was hospitalized and warned by his physicians that enforced rest was necessary in order to avoid serious medical problems, including a heart attack."

He continued to call the grievance "ironic" because Piven hasn't been paid and "has been defamed by the media by their false accusations."

Piven has been replaced by Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz and William H. Macy.