Biography of Liev Schreiber
Liev Schreiber is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He's 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. His mother, an artist, chose the name for her son, naming him after the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy in the way it's pronounced in Russian.On his mother's side, Leo has Jewish roots, with ancestors from Ukraine and Poland. His father's side brought an even more interesting mix - he was a theater actor and director. His lineage includes Austrian, Irish, Swiss, and Scottish roots.
When Leo was born, Tell was just 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. Three years later, though, Heather fled home with little Leo and returned to the States. Tell hired a private detective to track down his wife and take their young son from her. Leo's grandfather, Alex Milgram, stepped in to defend his grandson. Looking back, Schreiber said his grandfather replaced his father, especially during his teenage years:
After the legal battle, Leo stayed with his mother, and they moved to New York together. He barely 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, tough 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 hardly anyone knows about the forest partisan brothers.
Leo's early years were 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 wouldn't let him watch color movies. Among the black-and-white films he could watch, Schreiber loved those with Charlie Chaplin. He spoke of that period:
The philosophy Leo mentioned was Hinduism. His eccentric, 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. Maybe that's why, when I started living my own life, I initially leaned towards conservatism and discipline.
Acting Career
After graduating from Yale School of Drama and studying at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Schreiber made his Broadway debut in 1992 with the dramatic comedy "In the Summer House," taking on the role of Lionel. The production delved into the complex relationships of two generations of a family, with critics noting that Schreiber's performance "hinted at the depth and passion he would bring to future roles."The press praised Schreiber's 1998 performances in "Cymbeline" and "Macbeth," and he soon followed with a brilliant portrayal of Hamlet.
While critics recognized Schreiber's excellence in Shakespearean roles, he actually won his Tony Award for "Glengarry Glen Ross" (2005). He transformed into Ricky Roma, the 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).
On the big screen, Liev made his debut in 1994's "Mixed Nuts," playing Chris. Alongside Drew Barrymore and Courteney Cox, he starred in the horror thriller "Scream," before appearing in the sequels.
He then landed the role of Ted Fielding in the sci-fi 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), exploring the clash between power and resistance. In the feature film adaptation of the drama "Hamlet" (2000), he took on the role of a modern-day Laertes.
The 2000s brought Schreiber about twenty roles, many of them leading parts. He starred as time machine inventor Stuart Besser in the romantic fantasy "Kate & Leopold," played political consultant Joe Shumate in "Spinning Boris," and took on 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) one of his most successful films, though audiences were more captivated 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 nail the role, Schreiber spent countless hours in the gym and committed to a strict high-protein diet.
Another major role for Schreiber was Ray Donovan in the hit drama series, which ran from 2013 to 2022 before a feature film wrapped up the complex father-son storyline (portrayed by Jon Voight).
Personal Life of Liev Schreiber
In his youth, the actor fell for his classmate Nadia Dajani, and they dated for a while. After they split, Liev found love with Kristin Davis, the "Sex and the City" star, and the two got engaged. Later, he proposed to film producer Kate Driver, but they never married.Liev was always pretty hard on himself about his appeal to women, so when he met actress Naomi Watts on the set of "The Painted Veil," he was too shy to make a move. They played lovers on screen, but in real life, Schreiber couldn't work up the nerve to ask her out. That changed when Naomi slipped Liev her number and asked him to call.
After that, Liev didn't hesitate. 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. Wedding rumors swirled, but they were never confirmed.
A year later, their second son, Samuel Kai, arrived, though the couple had been hoping for a daughter. Liev said they might have tried for a third if they could guarantee it would be a girl.
In 2016, Schreiber and Watts called it quits but stayed friends and continued co-parenting their sons.
Schreiber later dated popular interior designer Morgan Brown, then moved on to actress Taylor Neisen, who's 24 years younger. In July 2023, Liev and Taylor tied the knot in an intimate ceremony with close friends and family. Taylor walked down the aisle in her final month of pregnancy. In August, the couple welcomed a daughter, Hazel Bee.
Liev Schreiber Now
The actor continues acting and writing scripts. Beyond "Ray Donovan," two more films featuring him hit theaters in 2022. One was 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 still 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. Luckily, everything worked out fine. Schreiber was also blown away by how much money goes into film production, but what really struck him was the sheer amount of food brought for the crew. There was tons of it, 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 hands. It was extremely inconvenient when I needed to use the bathroom. We quickly realized this wouldn't work. So they made rubber claw gloves for me, and when I fought Hugh, there weren't any bloody shreds flying around. I also had a 'deadly' pair of gloves with really hard claws that left distinct marks on objects when I grabbed them.
- Like many of his colleagues, Schreiber's a sports enthusiast. He plays soccer and basketball, fences, and competes in amateur cycling races. He's also an excellent swimmer and loves surfing.
- In spring 2022, Schreiber attended the premiere of the new season of "Stranger Things" with his younger son. Samuel Kai made headlines by showing up 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.