Wolverine's Liev Schreiber on video games and parenting
Actor Liev Schreiber can be seen on the big screen starting May 1 starring as comic book mutant Victor Creed, better known as Sabretooth, in 20th Century Fox' big screen action flick, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. In addition to the action figures and other X-Men tie-ins, Schreiber teamed up with Hugh Jackman to appear in Activision's video game expansion of the new film. The father of two young boys, Sasha and Samuel, with actress Naomi Watts, Schreiber lives with a family of gamers. He talks about his love of gaming (then and now), and the challenges of parenting in a digital world filled with addictive video games, in this exclusive interview.
What video games did you play growing up?
Liev Schreiber: Wow, you're going to age me. I played arcade games. I played Galaga, Asteroids. You know, the basics. I was never big into Pac-Man. There were not a lot of them back then. I'm older than people think.
Did you own any home consoles?
Liev Schreiber: I think we had Intellivision in my house and I remember playing Baseball with my brother, but it was pretty much that arcane kind of Pong like effect. I played that Mattel football thing that you held in your hand.
What are your thoughts on what Activision did with this Wolverine game?
Liev Schreiber: It's like night and day. It's amazing how far the technology has come in such a short amount of time. It's like watching the movie. It feels bizarre to watch myself in the game because it really looks like me and because I did the voice it really sounds like me too. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It's pretty strange.
What are your thoughts on how games are expanding the stories of Hollywood movies like Wolverine today?
Liev Schreiber: It's pretty cool. I can't wait to play this game.
We heard you're the most into games of the whole cast involved in the Wolverine game. Is that true?
Liev Schreiber: Yeah, nowadays. Unfortunately back then I wasn't, but now I am. I'm pretty much addicted to Rock Band. In fact, my whole family is.
Do you play those games online?
Liev Schreiber: No, I wouldn't dare. I'd get my ass handed to me.
What are your thoughts of the mainstream acceptance of games today?
Liev Schreiber: That's what's so fun with games like Rock Band. You get the whole set and you get somebody playing the drums, the bass and the guitar and somebody else singing. That's part of the fun. Games used to be so insular, but they're becoming more active. I remember the other day I saw Naomi (Watts) playing one of those Wii Fitness things and that just cracked me up. Get exercise playing videogames? What's next?
That game is attracting a lot of women who are playing Wii Fit instead of going to the gym.
Liev Schreiber: That's crazy. That's just crazy.
What's your instrument on Rock Band?
Liev Schreiber: Oh, I'm definitely lead guitar. Unless there's someone else who has to be lead guitar. But that doesn't happen very often.
