Rex Lee had a lot of experience to drawn on for his role as Lloyd, Ari Gold’s long-suffering assistant on Entourage. As a former assistant himself — to casting directors, of course — he understands what it takes to keep cranky bosses happy. Now up for a new challenge, he settles in for a Quickie with the PopGurls.
1. How did you find out that you got the role of Lloyd?
My initial audition and my callback were both in the week before Thanksgiving and I had to wait until after Thanksgiving for an answer. The wait was excruciating. I finally received a phone call while I was in the passenger seat of my ex-roommate’s car en route to somewhere or other. We high-fived and I couldn’t stop grinning for a couple of hours.
2. If you had to spend a day in Ari’s shoes, what would you do?
I would buy a gift for my assistant. I would go home and make love to my wife.
3. When it comes down to it, Lloyd’s really a bit of a badass. Where do you think he gets his strength from, and when does he choose to explode?
I think, for the most part, Lloyd really knows who he is – perhaps to a degree that surpasses most of the population. It provides him with a great deal of confidence in terms of his knowing what is and isn’t appropriate in interactions with other people. I am certainly not saying that he doesn’t put up with a lot of crap. He does. He just recognizes that it is crap as he experiences it. Therefore, I think he just has incredible instincts for when it is appropriate for him to figuratively say, “Hey enough with the crap!”
4. One of Lloyd’s great lines was “The gay mafia has been replaced by the gay assistant corps we know all.” What secrets do they have that people would kill for?
I think that the gay assistant corps just knows all the secrets of their bosses and that is really valuable intel.
5. Where do you come down on the Johnny Drama — gay or straight — question?
Straight – without a doubt.
6. When was the first time you were recognized?
Summer of 2005 – I was at the party for opening night of Outfest (the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival). I was walking one way and a man and his friend were walking the other way. The man was staring at me, giving me what I thought was a dirty look and I started to wonder if I had inadvertently offended him. We passed each other and I heard him whisper to his friend, “That’s the assistant from Entourage!” It felt nice.
7. What’s been your favorite blooper/flub?
When James Woods was on the show, for one take only, I called him Mr.
Woody instead of Mr. Woods and I let him think it was a mistake (it wasn’t).
8. They often say that actors need to be really good liars. What’s one good lie you’ve told?
Any of my friends who would like to become a successful actor, writer, director, painter, singer, dancer, and in my opinion, is not talented enough to become successful has no idea I feel that way.
9. You’ve got a MySpace page — do you consider yourself very web-savvy? What sites do you normally hit?
I am moderately web-savvy. I wish I was more web-savvy. I would love to be the web-savviest.
MySpace, Pandora, Web Sudoku, E! Online, WireImage, the message boards at HBO.com, Google, daily kitten, Entertainment Weekly, Free Will
Astrology, imdb
10. What’s your favorite song to dance to when you think no one is watching?
Who cares if anyone’s watching? Let them watch. I can kinda dance!
11. If you could jump in a time machine and relive a certain moment of your life, which would it be?
I would be three years old again. I really experienced my life with unadulterated joy when I was three.
12. What mundane or embarrassing task would you send your own assistant out for, just so you would never have to do it?
Well, not just so I wouldn’t have to do it but also so it would get done — I could really use someone to make absolutely sure that I never run out of toothpaste, dental floss, pre-brushing rinse, mouthwash, shaving cream, soap, gas in my car… I would really love it if someone did my laundry too.
13. Do you have your own entourage?
No. Totally no.
14. What television shows did you mourn the end of?
So many – Alias, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Frasier, Friends, The Golden Girls, Moonlighting, My So-Called Life, Rome, Sex and the City, Six Feet Under, thirtysomething, The West Wing, Will and Grace.
2007-04-25
