Liev Schreiber talks X-Men Origins: Wolverine

From: originalsharpsays.com
Written by: Craig Sharp

I remember when Liev Schreiber was first announced as Sabretooth in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (released in the UK today), there was a slightly unenthusiastic stirring amongst fanboys to put it mildly.

I, on the other hand breathed a huge sigh of relief. The thought that such a talented actor as Schreiber had been chosen to flesh out a character that was only alluded to in the first "X-Men" was far more important to me than height, weight - or blonde hair!

In an interview with CanMag, Schreiber addressed his own concerns about the part, as well as his past experiences working with Hugh Jackman:

"Something like 12 years ago, Hugh and I did a film together and, believe it or not, I think I actually was bigger than Hugh, in those days," Schreiber said. "Things have changed, over the years, and he’s grown substantially, as an actor and as a human being, in general."

Once the Jackman flattery had been dispensed with, Schreiber began to talk about his own self-expectations and the weight of the fans' own opinions regarding a role as big as classic X-Men villain Sabretooth:

"So the first agenda was getting bigger. I made the awful mistake of going online to see what the fans thought and, of course, they said, ‘You need to get bigger.’ So I started working out with Hugh and doing the high-protein diet. Between the two of us, I think we wiped out a whole gene pool of chickens. I know people think that it’s a departure for me, but I don’t really. I feel right at home with that sibling rivalry thing with Hugh. It was a lot of fun."

Speaking of sibling rivalry, a similar relationship was developing off screen if Schreiber is to be believed:

"They said, ‘Would you guys like to do one more?’ and I remember looking across at Hugh, praying to myself that he would say, ‘I’m tired. I want to go home and go to bed.’ And, Hugh said, ‘No, I feel great!’ And I looked across at him and said, ‘Yeah, I feel great, too.’ They looked at Hugh and said, ‘One more?’ and Hugh said, ‘No, I could do two more!’ So I said, ‘Yeah, I could probably do three or four more!’ And that was my sole motivation for the rest of this entire film."

"Early on in the film, we were shooting in New Zealand and it was the first big fight sequence for Hugh and I, which was outside of the bar. Hugh and I had rehearsed, day and night, for that. I’ll admit and be candid that I wasn’t sure that, physically, I was up to this role. Now, I know I am, but initially, I was a little concerned. I’m sorry to say this in public, but Hugh and I, being the elder statesmen of this cast, were both rightfully concerned that we wouldn’t be able to pull off the fight that the stunt guys had shown us. Sure, we’d been lifting weights and we looked large, but what they were asking for was truly impossible and brutal. I just remember the third night, after shooting until six in the morning, every night, looking over at Hugh and the two of us were just so smashed up by the fight, and desperate to impress our small sons at home."

Based on the footage I've seen, I'd say Schreiber does a sterling job as Sabretooth. I've seen the bar fight in question, and the on-screen rivalry between the two characters is almost tangible, despite what some early reviews might say. What critics seem to be forgetting is that this is no longer an adaptation of a comic book series. Whether people like it or not, this film happens in the X-Men film universe, and as such it has to tie in as best as it can, working with the tools it's been left with.

Under the circumstances, director Gavin Hood and the cast have done a sterling job, and that's coming from a true X-Men fan. And thankfully, despite the gruelling routines that Schreiber and Hugh Jackman were put under during filming, Sabretooth never seems to have gone home with the actor at the end of the day:

"I’ve never been someone who takes characters home with me, at night. The claws and the teeth came off. Unfortunately, the sideburns didn’t. But, I’ve never really had a problem with that. Also, particularly in my case, I was playing anger, which is a relatively easy emotion to access. I know you’re all thinking, ‘Oh, he’s an angry guy!’ No. It’s easy for everyone. It’s a much easier emotion than love."

X-Men Origins: Wolverine hits theatres in the UK tonight, and in the US on 1st May 2009.