Jeremy Piven Compares Shopping To Having Root Canal Treatment
Jeremy Piven, star of ITV’s acclaimed drama Mr Selfridge, has compared shopping to having dental treatment.
Speaking ahead of the series launch in America, Piven, who plays the lead role of Harry Gordon Selfridge, said that he is not much a shopper and preferred going to “five-and-dime” stores, rather than lavish department stores, such as Selfridges.
Piven said that he has fond memories of going to stores like Woolworths with his mother when he was a young boy, fondly recounting tales of eating charlotte russe sponge cakes, but said that clothes shopping does not interest him; in fact he said that trying on a pair of trousers was like “having a root canal.”
Piven said that the secret of Mr Selfridge’s success lay in his personality and charisma; he was hugely innovative, but he was also outgoing, brave and some would say, brash. Piven said that he enjoyed playing the character but was unlikely to be found in the same spots as his character, suggesting that he would not be found slumped in the corner of a pub after one too many and would most likely be seen wondering around Primrose Hill learning his lines.
Mr Selfridge concluded last week in the UK and the series, which is based on the biography by Lindy Woodhead entitled ‘Shopping, Seduction and Mr Selfridge’ is due to air in the USA at the end of the month. Piven is an American, hailing from Chicago and he was already aware of the tale of Harry Gordon Selfridge before he auditioned for the role, for which he has received hugely positive feedback.
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