Biography of Liev Schreiber
Liev Schreiber is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He is best known for his roles in the horror film "The Omen" (as Robert Thorn), the war movie "Defiance" (as Zus Bielski), and the blockbuster "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (as Sabretooth). For his directorial and screenwriting debut with the film "Everything Is Illuminated," he received awards at international film festivals in Venice, Bratislava, and São Paulo. He is a nominee for Golden Globe, Saturn, and Emmy awards.
Childhood, Youth, Family
Isaac Liev Schreiber (the actor's full name) was born in the fall of 1967 to Tell Schreiber and Heather Milgram in San Francisco. It's important to clarify that his mother, an artist, chose the name for her son, naming him after the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy in the way it is pronounced in Russian.On his mother's side, Leo has Jewish roots, with ancestors from Ukraine and Poland. An even more interesting "mix" came from his father's side, a theater actor and director. His lineage includes Austrian, Irish, Swiss, and Scottish roots.
When Leo was born, Tell was only twenty, while Heather was already twenty-nine and raising three sons – Max, Charles, and Will – from different fathers.
When the baby turned one, the family moved to Canada. But three years later, Heather fled home with little Leo and returned to the States. Tell hired a private detective to find his wife and take their young son from her. Leo's grandfather, Alex Milgram, stood in defense of his grandson. Recalling him, Schreiber said that his grandfather replaced his father, especially during his teenage years:
After legal proceedings, Leo stayed with his mother, and they moved to New York together. He hardly saw his father after that. Tell remarried, and his son Pablo (now also an actor) was born in a hippie commune.My grandfather was a very athletic man. He instilled in me a love for boxing and was a role model for me in everything. I've played strong, muscular Jews more than once, like Zus Bielski in Edward Zwick's 'Defiance.' The three Bielski brothers saved as many Jews as Oskar Schindler. Yet every schoolchild knows about Schindler, but almost no one knows about the forest partisan brothers.
Leo's early childhood was spent in a small apartment, sometimes without electricity and hot water. Heather worked as a taxi driver and made papier-mâché dolls for sale in her spare time. She instilled a love of reading in her son but didn't allow him to watch color movies. Of the black-and-white films he was allowed to watch, Schreiber liked those with Charlie Chaplin. He spoke of that period:
The philosophy Leo mentioned was Hinduism. His eccentric and passionate mother decided that from now on, her son would be called Shiva Das and become a vegetarian.I had an eccentric childhood. We moved around and lived in different communities, raised by a free-spirited, philosophy-loving mother. Perhaps that's why, when I started living my own life, I initially leaned towards conservatism and discipline.
Acting Career
In 1992, after graduating from the Yale School of Drama and studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, Schreiber debuted on the Broadway stage in the dramatic comedy "In the Summer House," playing Lionel. The production delved into the complex relationships of two generations of a family, and Schreiber's performance, according to critics, "hinted at the depth and passion he would bring to future roles."In 1998, the press praised Schreiber for his roles in the productions of "Cymbeline" and "Macbeth," and shortly after, he brilliantly portrayed Hamlet in the eponymous play.
Critics believed Schreiber excelled in Shakespearean roles, yet he won a Tony Award for his lead role in "Glengarry Glen Ross" (2005). This time, he transformed into Ricky Roma, a slick and charismatic real estate salesman. Another award from the Drama League went to Schreiber for his role as Barry Champlain in the play "Talk Radio" (2007).
As for his film career, Liev debuted in the 1994 film "Mixed Nuts," playing Chris. Alongside Drew Barrymore and Courteney Cox, he starred in the horror thriller "Scream," and after a successful debut, he appeared in its sequels.
Subsequently, the actor was invited to play Ted Fielding in the science fiction thriller "Sphere," where he worked alongside Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Schreiber played his first lead role as Orson Welles in the drama "RKO 281" (1999), which explores the power of the influential and their opposition. In the feature film adaptation of the drama "Hamlet" (2000), he took on the role of a modern-day Laertes.
The new millennium and its first ten years brought Schreiber about twenty roles, many of which were leading. He starred in the romantic fantasy "Kate & Leopold," playing time machine inventor Stuart Besser, portrayed political consultant Joe Shumate in the political film "Spinning Boris," and appeared as Raymond Shaw in the political thriller "The Manchurian Candidate." He was also notable in the horror film "The Omen" (Robert Thorn) and the comedy "The Ten" (Ray Johnson).
In 2005, Schreiber made his debut as a screenwriter and director with the film "Everything Is Illuminated." He shared in an interview how he came to this work:
Schreiber decided to retrace the journey of the novel's protagonist and traveled to Ukraine. Although he didn't find the place where his grandfather was born, the trip allowed him to feel closer to his ancestors. This feeling stayed with him for two years while he wrote the screenplay and directed the film, starring Elijah Wood. Some scenes were shot directly in Ukraine.It started when my grandfather died, and I began questioning my origins. Like many, I experienced a personal crisis. Trying to make sense of it all, I started writing a novel, and during the process, I came across Jonathan Safran Foer's book, which resonated with my experiences. Actors have the advantage of experimenting and recreating crisis situations in real life. So, I found Foer, read 'Everything Is Illuminated,' about his grandfather from Ukraine and his own attempts at self-identification.
Schreiber considers the war drama "Defiance" (2008) as one of his most successful films, although audiences were more taken by the blockbuster "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (2009), where Schreiber played one of the brothers, Victor Creed, also known as Sabretooth. His friend Hugh Jackman played the other brother, Wolverine. To fit the role, Schreiber spent hours in the gym and focused on a high-protein diet.
Another significant role for Schreiber was Ray Donovan in the eponymous drama series, which accompanied him from 2013 to 2022, when a feature film was released, concluding the complex story of the father-son relationship (portrayed by Jon Voight).
Personal Life of Liev Schreiber
In his youth, the actor was in love with his classmate Nadia Dajani, and they dated for a while. Then they parted ways, and Liev found a new partner, Kristin Davis, a star from "Sex and the City," with whom Schreiber was engaged. Later, he proposed to film producer Kate Driver, but they never married.Liev always had a rather critical view of his attractiveness to the opposite sex, and when he met actress Naomi Watts on the set of "The Painted Veil," he was too shy to ask her out. On screen, they played lovers, but in real life, Schreiber was hesitant to take decisive steps. That was until Naomi gave Liev her number and asked him to call her.
After that, Liev had no doubts. Their romance developed rapidly, and in 2006, the couple announced their engagement. In 2007, they welcomed a son, Alexander Pete. The actor calls his son Sasha, in the Russian manner. There were rumors of a secret wedding, but they were never confirmed.
A year later, their second son, Samuel Kai, was born, although the couple had hoped for a daughter. Liev stated they would have considered a third child if they were one hundred percent sure it would be a girl.
In 2016, Schreiber and Watts announced their separation but remained friends and co-parented their sons.
Later, Schreiber began dating popular interior designer Morgan Brown and then a much younger actress (24 years his junior), Taylor Neisen. In July 2023, Liev and Taylor held a secret wedding for their closest friends and family. Taylor walked down the aisle in her last month of pregnancy. In August, the couple welcomed a daughter, Hazel Bee.
Liev Schreiber Now
The actor continues to actively act and write scripts. Besides "Ray Donovan," two more films featuring him were released in 2022. One of them is the adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novel "Across the River and into the Trees." The main character, Colonel Richard Cantwell, played by Schreiber, struggles to find inner balance in peacetime after suffering physical injuries and emotional scars from the war.Another project featuring Liev is Wes Anderson's film "Asteroid City." Filming took place in the Spanish town of Chinchon, where Western-style sets were built.
Interesting Facts
- The actor vividly remembers his very first day on set. He was so nervous that when the director asked him to walk down the stairs, he stumbled and fell. Fortunately, everything turned out fine. Schreiber was also amazed at how much money goes into film production, but his most striking impression was the amount of food brought for the crew on set. There was plenty, and everyone could eat as much as they wanted.
- When discussing the filming of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," Schreiber elaborated on his character's gear:
At first, I had claws made of hard resin attached to my own. It was extremely inconvenient when I needed to go to the bathroom. We quickly realized this wouldn't work. So, they made rubber claw gloves for me, and when I fought Hugh, there were no bloody shreds flying around. I also had a 'deadly' pair of gloves with very hard claws that left distinct marks on objects when I grabbed them.
- Like many of his colleagues, Schreiber loves sports. He plays soccer, basketball, fences, and participates in amateur cycling races. Additionally, Liev is an excellent swimmer and enjoys surfing.
- In the spring of 2022, Schreiber attended the premiere of the new season of "Stranger Things" with his younger son. Samuel Kai shocked the audience by appearing on the red carpet in a pink dress.
Important Life Events
- 1992: Graduated from the Yale School of Drama.
- 1993: Debuted in the play "In the Summer House."
- 1994: Debuted in the film "Mixed Nuts."
- 1996: Appeared in the film "Scream."
- 1998: Played Banquo in the play "Macbeth." Appeared in the film "Sphere."
- 1999: Played the lead role in the play "Hamlet." Played the lead role in the film "RKO 281."
- 2000: Appeared in the film "Hamlet."
- 2001: Appeared in the film "Kate & Leopold."
- 2003: Played the lead role in the film "Spinning Boris."
- 2004: Played the lead role in the film "The Manchurian Candidate."
- 2005: Debuted as a screenwriter and director with the film "Everything Is Illuminated." Received awards at international film festivals in Venice, Bratislava, São Paulo. Received a Tony Award for Best Actor in the play "Glengarry Glen Ross."
- 2006: Played the lead role in the film "The Omen."
- 2007: Son Alexander Pete was born to actress Naomi Watts.
- 2008: Son Samuel Kai was born. Played the lead role in the film "Defiance."
- 2009: Appeared in the film "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."
- 2013: Played the lead role in the film "The Last Days on Mars."
- 2014: Played the lead role in the film "Pawn Sacrifice."
- 2016: Played the lead role in the film "Chuck."
- 2019: Appeared in the film "A Rainy Day in New York."
- 2022: Played lead roles in the films "Ray Donovan," "Across the River and Into the Trees."
- 2023: Married Taylor Neisen, and daughter Hazel Bee was born.
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