Monday, May 9, 2011

Liev Schreiber "How Should I Know?"


 
Monday, May 9, 2011
Before Liev Schreiber headed to the Paris Theater on May 5 to accept an award at the Israel Film Festival, he said he did “what every good Jewish boy would do — I called my mother.”

His mom, Heather, told him to say it’s wonderful to be a Jew. Of course Schreiber immediately responded, “But ma, is it not also wonderful to not be a Jew?” Mom replied, “How should I know?”

“It suddenly dawned on me,” Schreiber recounted, “that my mother managed to sum up the entirety of my film career: How should I know?”

Jonathan Safran Foer couldn’t make it to the opening night ceremonies to present Liev with an IFF Achievement in Film Award. He texted from the doctor’s office that his two young children, both under five, was being treated for food poisoning.

Naomi Watts, Liev’s partner, filled in for Foer. She has known Liev for six years and is the mother of his two sons, Alexander “Sasha” Pete, 3, and Samuel Kai, 2.

“Liev cares about a lot things,” Watts said. “Israel is one of them. We had the good fortune of going there a couple of years ago. To share that experience with him was a great pleasure.”

Watts read Foer’s remarks: “Liev has been a model of menchness — a full human being. He wants things to be better than they are. As Hillel said, ‘Where there are no men, strive to be one.’ That’s Liev.”