Stronger with Don Saladino

Episode: Liev Schreiber Reveals the Hardest Role He’s Ever Prepared For
Host: Don Saladino
Guest: Liev Schreiber
Date: August 19, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of "Stronger" features acclaimed actor Liev Schreiber in a rich and personal conversation with Don Saladino. The two long-time friends dig deep into the meaning of strength—physically, emotionally, and mentally—exploring acting, physical preparation for roles, resilience, and philanthropy. Liev opens up about his humble beginnings, how hard roles have shaped him, and his ongoing work supporting Ukraine. The discussion is practical, motivational, and filled with stories that reveal what it really takes to “show up” for yourself, in both art and life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power and Purpose of Physical Preparation

• Breaking Into Fitness for Acting
  • Liev shares how Hugh Jackman inspired a new approach to fitness in preparation for "Wolverine", debunking his early belief that working out was superficial for actors.
  • Quote: "I had a thing like, that's for actors who can't act. ... But then I met Hugh, who's like, this extraordinary actor who obviously is really amazing at taking care of his body. ... And then he connected me with you, which was kind of the second phase..." (03:21 – 05:05)
• Embodiment of Character
  • Physicality is described not as vanity, but as another tool in the actor’s toolbox, crucial for authenticity, especially in roles like Chuck Wepner and Ray Donovan.
  • Quote: "It's just a tool in your toolbox that you're not using. Right. You know, it's like a wardrobe. You're just not using it." (05:41)
• Chuck Wepner: The Role that Changed the Game
  • The story behind preparing for "Chuck" becomes a turning point for Don, recognizing that being "strong" for a role isn't just about looking like Brad Pitt in Fight Club.
  • Quote (Don): "We're training for resilience. We're training for this mentality... to have that, you have to feel strong. ... When I saw that picture, for me, in my career, that was a big turning point..." (07:27)

Notable Moment

• The Rocky Connection – Liev and Don discuss Chuck Wepner as the real-life inspiration for Rocky, focusing on heart and resilience over aesthetics.
  • [08:38 – 09:09]
  • Liev: "He [Wepner] could just take anything... but I think also it was his determination and his resilience. ... That made him resilient."

2. The Art and Work Ethic of Theater Acting

• Foundations in Stage Performance
  • Liev recounts his start on Broadway, emphasizing the formative power of theater and the critical mentorship of George Wolf at the Public Theater.
  • [09:41 – 11:23]
• The Unique Challenge of Live Performance
  • Don and Liev discuss the pressures and community of live theater—where there are no retakes, and the actor’s responsibility is to serve the play, not personal ego.
  • Quote (Liev): "It’s not about being good. It’s not about being attractive. It’s about delivering an idea that’s handed to you by a writer." (13:10)
• Feedback Loop with the Audience
  • Liev describes the irreplaceable energy of exchanging ideas with a live audience, seeing theater as an immersive, almost spiritual communal act.
  • Quote: "To be able to in the dark with 800 people who are kind of resonating off each other is extraordinary... It becomes them. It's not about you." (15:37)

3. Influences, Masculinity, and Work Ethic

• Grandfathers as Role Models
  • Both Don and Liev recount the outsized impact their grandfathers had on their perspective and work ethic.
  • Liev: "Every part I played was some version of my grandfather… things like masculinity and culture and spirituality..." (19:24)
  • Don: (About his grandfather) “There was a mentality...you get your hands dirty. You can wash your hands.” (21:34)
• Struggle, Resourcefulness, and Parenting
  • Liev discusses his childhood poverty, the influence of his mother and his drive to support her, and the challenge of instilling resilience in his own children who lack the same struggle.
  • Quote: "If you’ve got lots of choices, you tend not to do things... That’s what I worry about with the phones..." (25:40 – 27:37)
• On Dopamine & Modern Distractions
  • Liev provides an insightful metaphor about hunger and the “dopamine hit” from smartphones distracting from real-life fulfillment.
  • Quote: "...when you don't have... when you get, it's a special feeling. But if you have all of the time, there's no special feeling... You need to spend some time away from the thing." (27:15)

4. Voice Work, Storytelling, and Iconic Media Projects

• Transition to Voiceover & Sports Docs
  • Liev tells unique stories behind becoming the voice for "History of Rock and Roll", "HBO Sports", and “Hard Knocks”.
  • He describes the artistry in combining “classical poetic style” narration with the intensity of sports.
  • Quote: "When you have that kind of quality behind you, it makes you look really good... he wrote in this kind of, like, classical poetic style. And the brutality of that, the brutality of boxing combined with the poetry of language..." (30:43)

5. Hockey, Fighting, and On-Screen Combat

• Preparing for “Goon” and Lessons from Enforcers
  • Liev discusses learning to skate and fight on ice—his admiration for NHL enforcers and how “the monsters on the ice” are often the most humble humans off it.
  • Quote: "They got these guys... to hang out with me and teach me how to fight on the ice... To a man, every one of them are just the most extraordinarily nice, kind people. They're like monsters on the ice, but off the ice, they're incredible people." (36:50)
• Technical Differences: Boxing vs. Hockey Fighting
  • Liev details the differences between fighting in the rink (it's all about getting the edge and grip) and boxing (mobility, footwork, proprioception).
  • [38:38 – 40:05]

6. Philanthropy and Blue Check Ukraine

• Origins and Purpose of Blue Check Ukraine
  • Liev describes how he co-founded Blue Check Ukraine to support grassroots organizations—the fastest and most efficient way to aid Ukrainians.
  • Quote: "If you localize it, you can cut out the middleman... our numbers have been like 97 cents on the dollar." (45:54)
• Personal Motivation
  • Although having Ukrainian roots, Liev says his activism is driven more by outrage at the attack on democracy.
  • Quote: “...nowhere is that model of what a democracy is more at stake or the value of it than it is in Ukraine.” (47:54)
• Stories of Resilience from the Ground
  • Liev recounts his travels in Ukraine and the unbreakable spirit of those who remain on the front lines, likening it to a different "level of strength."
  • Quote: "There's a different level of strength, there's a different level of endurance... that's what I see when I meet them." (50:55)

7. Listener Q&A

On Working with Denzel Washington in "The Hurricane"

• Ryan (Florida): What was it like working with Denzel?
  • Liev: “Extraordinary actor. A guy who immerses himself really deeply in character... Denzel wasn't very nice to us [on set], and for the longest time, I thought he didn’t like me... but then I heard he advocated for me. He’s one of those guys who really goes deep...” [53:44]

Hardest Physical Role

• Laura & Nathan: What was the most physically challenging role?
  • Liev: “Probably the hardest physical training was the work that I did with Hugh on Wolverine. I'd never done anything like that before... we literally ate an army of chickens and lifted twice a day. ...that was brutal. ... all the fighting and the stunts... It was brutal.” [54:37]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Resilience:
  “...part of what you do is such a huge antidote to that [distraction], to get your body moving, to get your adrenals reset, and to get you in a place where you're in the world again and you're moving.” (29:01)

• On Kindness Among Fighters:
  “To a man, every one of them are just the most extraordinarily nice, kind people. They're like monsters on the ice, but off the ice, they're incredible people.” (36:38)

• On Choosing Ali vs. Tyson:
  “I would give the advantage to the guy who's got that mental resilience.” (43:22)

• On Legacy and Friendship:
  Don: “Even though we don't see each other a lot, I know we'll always have each other's backs. And I want to thank you for your friendship.” (57:24)

Notable Timestamps

• Liev’s Acting & Fitness Evolution: 03:21 – 06:09
• Chuck Wepner/Rocky Role Impact: 07:11 – 09:09
• Theater & Audience Exchange: 12:39 – 16:18
• Resourcefulness, Phones, Dopamine: 25:40 – 27:37
• Voice Work & Storytelling: 29:01 – 33:05
• “Goon” & NHL Enforcers: 35:23 – 37:46
• Blue Check Ukraine & War Aid: 45:54 – 50:55
• Listener Q&A: 52:25 – 56:37

Conclusion

This episode is a deep dive into the real muscles behind strength: relentless self-discovery, vulnerability, resilience built from challenge, and never losing sight of being of service—on the stage, in a gym, in war zones, or simply as a friend. Liev Schreiber’s journey makes clear that being strong is as much about how you show up for others as how you prepare yourself. The episode wraps on mutual admiration and motivation for listeners to cultivate their own, multidimensional “stronger.”

For more, listen to Stronger with Don Saladino on your favorite podcast platform. Follow Liev’s work and support Blue Check Ukraine for ongoing updates.