Jeremy Piven plans to attend grievance hearing

Piven plans to attend a hearing Thursday at Actors' Equity Association on a grievance filed by the producers of "Speed-the-Plow," which the performer quit after his doctor said he was suffering from mercury poisoning.

Both sides are expected to present their case during the proceedings, which will be closed to the public. The grievance committee, composed of five actors and five producers, could resolve the case or one (or both) of the two parties could file for arbitration.

Piven departed the critically praised production of Mamet's comedy in December, less than two months after the show opened on Broadway. His doctor told the show's producers that Piven was "seriously ill" — possibly from eating too much raw fish — "and unable to fulfill his contractual obligation to 'Speed-the-Plow.'"