Liev Schreiber’s best movies and TV shows highlight a career filled with diverse projects and stellar performances. Born October 4, 1967, in San Francisco, California, Schreiber started his career on the stage in the early 1990s before making his movie debut in the Steve Martin comedy Mixed Nuts. From there, Schreiber continued to find exciting roles in notable projects, working alongside some big-name talents while also making a name for himself as a character actor.
Schreiber found his status in Hollywood rising with his acclaimed lead role in the series Ray Donovan as well as blockbusters like X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Schreiber continues to work in high-profile projects, collaborating with filmmakers like Wes Anderson and Darren Aronofsky while also starring in Oscar-winning movies. With such a strong career, it is not hard to find a number of gems among Liev Schreiber’s best movies and TV shows.
10
Defiance (2008)
As Zus Bielski
- Release Date
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December 31, 2008
- Runtime
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137 minutes
- Director
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Edward Zwick
- Writers
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Edward Zwick, Clayton Frohman
- Producers
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Pieter Jan Brugge
-
-
Liev Schreiber
Zus Bielski
-
-
Alexa Davalos
Lilka Ticktin
Liev Schreiber starred alongside Daniel Craig in this overlooked but solid war movie. Defiance stars Craig and Schreiber as the Bielski brothers, real-life heroes of World War II who have been largely overlooked in history. As the Nazis invaded Belarus during the war, the Polish Jewish brothers organized a resistance army, saving countless Jewish lives while fighting back against their oppressors.
While Craig is the lead of the film, coming off his star-making role as James Bond in Casino Royale, Schreiber delivers the best performance of the movie. As Zus Bielski, he plays the more aggressive of the brothers whose anger at the atrocities of the Nazis puts him in conflict with his brother and how they should confront their enemies. Defiance is an intense and hard-hitting war movie that highlights the heroes of the resistance who are sometimes forgotten.
9
The Perfect Couple (2024)
As Tag Winbury
Liev Schreiber joined the star-studded cast of the limited Netflix series that made for another gripping murder mystery story. The Perfect Couple stars Nicole Kidman and Schreiber as an affluent couple living in Nantucket while hosting a lavish wedding for their son and his new wife. However, the beautiful weekend turns deadly when one of the guests is murdered and the powerful family members become suspects.
Schreiber won a Critic’s Choice Award for her performance as Tag Winbury, a man who presents himself as a laid back and loving family man, but who keeps his family on their toes and harbors some dark secrets as well. Like Big Little Lies, the series takes a look at an idyllic world of rich people where the perfect façade is shattered, and a mystery surrounds all of the flawed characters. It makes for a terrific bingeworthy show.
8
Scream 2 (1997)
As Cotton Weary
Fans might have forgotten that Liev Schreiber was a part of the Scream franchise from its very beginning. The actor appeared in brief footage in a non-speaking role in the original Scream as Cotton Weary, the man who was wrongfully suspected of killing Sidney Prescott’s mother. As his star began to rise around the same time as that cameo, it set the stage for Cotton and Schreiber to return in Scream 2.
Schreiber makes for a fun addition to the story as this new exonerated man who is hoping to make the most of the media attention surrounding him.
The sequel follows Neve Campbell’s Sidney to college as she and her friends are targeted by a copycat Ghostface killer. Schreiber makes for a fun addition to the story as this new exonerated man who is hoping to make the most of the media attention surrounding him. While the movie doesn’t reach the heights of the inventive first installment, it is a fun slasher with some iconic set pieces.
7
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
As Raymond Shaw
- Release Date
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July 30, 2004
- Runtime
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129 Minutes
- Director
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Jonathan Demme
- Writers
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Richard Condon, George Axelrod, Daniel Pyne, Dean Georgaris
Liev Schreiber shared the screen with two of the greatest actors of all time in this political thriller remake and proved himself by holding his own. Denzel Washington stars in The Manchurian Candidate as a former soldier dealing with memory loss following a mission gone wrong. While he and the rest of his platoon insist they were all saved by fellow soldier Raymond Shaw (Schreiber), he begins to suspect they have been brainwashed in order to secure Shaw’s political future under the control of dangerous enemies.
Along with playing opposite Washington, Schreiber also appears with Meryl Streep as Shaw’s controlling mother. He excels in the role of the haunted man who is only vaguely aware that he is a puppet being controlled. Though the original movie is a classic, director Jonathan Demme creates an intense and riveting retelling of the story that is further elevated by its amazing cast.
6
Goon (2012)
As Ross “The Boss” Rhea
Goon
- Release Date
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January 6, 2012
- Runtime
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92 minutes
- Director
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Michael Dowse
- Writers
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Jay Baruchel, Evan Goldberg, Adam Frattasio, Doug Smith
Many people might recognize Liev Schreiber’s voice as the narrator of several sports documentaries. However, he has the chance to star in a sports film, which also happens to be one of the best hockey movies of all time. Goon is a Canadian comedy that stars Seann William Scott as Doug Glatt, a friendly amateur hockey player who happens to have a talent for fighting. Recognized as one of the best enforcers in the game, he is pulled up to the professional league while struggling with his violent role.
Schreiber has a hilarious and memorable supporting role as Ross “The Boss” Rhea, the legendary enforcer who Doug will inevitably face off with. The film is a brutal and bloody sports story, showing the roughness of hockey and the kind of men who become enforcers. However, it is also a movie with a lot of heart as Scott’s Doug is a hugely likable protagonist.
5
RKO 281 (2000)
As Orson Welles
- Release Date
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April 7, 2000
- Directors
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Benjamin Ross
- Writers
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John Logan
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Liev Schreiber
Orson Welles
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Melanie Griffith
Marion Davies
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John Malkovich
Herman Mankiewicz
In one of Liev Schreiber’s earliest leading man roles, he took on a famed filmmaker in the retelling of one of the greatest movies of all time. RKO 281 stars Schreiber as Orson Welles with the made-for-television movie taking a look at the making of Citizen Kane. Specifically, the film focuses on the behind-the-scenes fight to have the movie shut down by powerful businessman William Randolph Hearst, who was long rumored to have been the inspiration for the character of Kane.
The movie helped to launch Schreiber as a star, earning him an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination.
Taking on such an iconic figure as Welles is certainly a daunting task, but Schreiber proved himself up to the task. He carries the movie with a powerful performance as a passionate and determined filmmaker who sees his entire vision threatened. The movie helped to launch Schreiber as a star, earning him an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination.
4
Isle Of Dogs (2018)
As Spots
Liev Schreiber has lately found himself a frequent collaborator of Wes Anderson, appearing in his last three movies. However, it is their first movie together that remains the best so far. Isle of Dogs is a stop-motion animated film that is set in a fictional Japanese city where dogs become outlawed by the cruel government and sent to live on an island of trash off the coast of the city. The story follows a group of scavenger dogs who come together to help a young boy who has ventured to the island to find his beloved pet.
Schreiber lends his voice to the role of Spots, the heroic dog that the boy is looking for. Schreiber brings an emotional performance to the movie and joins a star-studded voice cast that also includes Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Scarlett Johansson, and Greta Gerwig.
3
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
As Wilson Fisk / Kingpin
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
- Release Date
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December 6, 2018
- Runtime
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117 minutes
- Director
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Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
- Writers
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Phil Lord, Rodney Rothman
-
Shameik Moore
Peter B. Parker (voice)
-
While X-Men Origins: Wolverine featured a standout performance from Liev Schreiber as Sabretooth, the movie was a letdown. However, Schreiber managed to redeem himself in the superhero genre by lending his voice to one of the best movies in the genre. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse tells the story of Miles Morales, who gains the powers of Spider-Man while also discovering that he is not the only Spider-Man out in the multiverse.
Schreiber lends his intimidating voice to the role of Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin, the chief villain of the movie. Given how iconic Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin from Daredevil has become, it is impressive that Schreiber is able to make the role his own. Into the Spider-Verse is a beautifully animated visual feast for the eyes while also being a superhero movie filled with humor, heart, and interesting things to say about the legacy of Spider-Man.
2
Ray Donovan (2013-2020)
As Ray Donovan
6/10
- Release Date
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2013 – 2019
- Showrunner
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David Hollander
- Directors
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Ann Biderman
- Writers
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Ann Biderman, Liev Schreiber
While Liev Schreiber had already proven himself a movie star by the time he starred in his first television show, Ray Donovan has become his most iconic role. The crime series stars Schreiber as the titular character, a hardened criminal from Boston who has reinvented himself as a fixer for high-profile clients in Los Angeles, using his lack of ethics and willingness to break the law to make any problem go away.
He excelled at playing this fascinating yet deeply flawed character, never shying away from Ray’s darker qualities.
Schreiber was highly acclaimed in his leading role, earning three Emmy nominations and five Golden Globe nominations over the course of the show. He excelled at playing this fascinating yet deeply flawed character, never shying away from Ray’s darker qualities. It was a brutal and grim show while also injecting a lot of humor into the story. The show ran for seven seasons, ending with a made-for-television movie which was released in 2022.
1
Spotlight (2015)
As Marty Baron
8/10
- Release Date
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November 25, 2015
- Runtime
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128minutes
- Director
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Tom McCarthy
- Writers
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Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy
Liev Schreiber joined the star-studded cast of Spotlight in this Oscar-winning and powerful drama based on a true story. Spotlight is set in the early 2000s and centers around the investigative team at the Boston Globe as they worked to uncover a scandal involving years of abuse by Catholic priests in the city as well as the church’s efforts to cover up the crimes. Schreiber plays the pivotal role of Marty Baron, the new managing editor of the newspaper, who pushes to have the story investigated.
Spotlight is one of the best movies about journalism, taking a grounded and impactful look at the tireless work these journalists do to get to the truth, no matter how much pushback they might get from those around them. Schreiber is excellent in his reserved supporting role as an outsider who brings a new perspective to handling a story like this.
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