"I work for hire, as they say, and like to make money"- When Liev Schreiber made his feelings clear about fame

For decades now, Liev Schreiber has been a solid presence in the industry. He may not be the flashiest one around or someone who appears in many shows and movies all the time, but there has rarely been a role where the 57-year-old actor did not shine. He was as convincing in his long-term role in Ray Donovan as he was in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

All these roles have also made Liev Schreiber a standout star in the industry. He has many fans around the world, but from where Shreiber currently is, fame feels a lot different. The actor discussed this in an interview with Haute Living magazine in 2024. Speaking about this, he said:

"I work for hire, as they say, and like to make money....I have a growing family. The older I get, the more I think I want it to matter when I work. Of course, it doesn’t always — in fact, it rarely does — but it’s nice when it does, when one of your jobs means something to people. That feels good, like the job does what it was supposed to do in the beginning, which is to connect you to people."

He added:

"When you’re young, you think that’s what being famous will do, make you happy, make you desired. And then you realize that’s not the case."

He shed more light on his beliefs and his methods in this same interview.

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Liev Schreiber explains his primary motivation while acting

Those who have seen Liev Schreiber act know well that the actor always gives it his all, and seemingly plays every role to perfection. The actor has also been very vocal about his methods and thoughts, which are often quite offbeat. After he gave his bold anecdote on fame in this interview, he further spoke about the things on his mind while he was acting.

Expanding on this, Liev Schreiber further said:

"I’m only truly confident with characters...So much of my own personal journey has been getting over that attachment to not sucking, not being bad at something,...Which is funny, because the whole principle of acting is that to be good at it, you have to be willing to make a fool of yourself. You have to be willing to be a jackass."

He further expanded on the characters he does, adding:

"You forget that sometimes, because when you do something for a while, people think you’re good or attractive — something you want to be in real life — but it was just a character that you created. I think that’s the problem with fame; you start to believe your own press."

Liev Schreiber's down-to-earth approach to his profession is perhaps one of the key things behind his exceptional portrayals. Over the years, Shcreiber has received a Tony Award and has been nominated for nine Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards.

We have also seen a considerable shift in the kind of roles he has done over the years. His works include Mixed Nuts (1994), Party Girl (1995), The Hurricane (1999), The Painted Veil (2006), Pawn Sacrifice (2014), and Spotlight (2015), among many others.

Liev Schreiber's most recent film role came in Asteroid City, and he is soon set to appear in Caught Stealing.