“My character plays the straight guy… I sort of got the easy job,” says Pablo Schreiber of his character Zeke Tilson, a military pilot in the HBO comedy series “The Brink,” about Americans on the verge of becoming involved in Pakistan’s brewing political chaos.
“I kind of play myself,” Schreiber says in a phone interview with Asian entertainment writers. “My main job is to play as realistically and as truthfully as possible reactions to ridiculous situations. My character serves as the ‘eyes’ of the audience.”
The actor figures heavily in one of three “competing” storylines—the others separately feature Jack Black as a Foreign Service officer, and Tim Robbins as the US secretary of state. The three concurrent arcs form a bigger picture, where the characters react to, or are affected by, the actions of a power-grabbing Pakistani general (Iqbal Theba).
“I thought the tone was incredibly unique and would be the show’s biggest asset,” the 37-year-old actor says. “I also thought it would be the single, most difficult thing to achieve. The tone is a really razor-thin line that can be lost quite easily… it would be a challenge to do well, but if pulled off, it would be [unlike] anything else on TV.”
Playing a pilot in the show did not necessarily require a background in flying an aircraft of any kind, he clarifies: “I had no knowledge prior to getting the role. Once I got the role, I was set up with a guy who actually did the job (piloting). He took us where these guys trained. We got to hang out with a bunch of guys and use the simulator exercise. But we did not get to fly fighter jets in preparation for the role.”
Schreiber relates that since Robbins and Black’s scenes were filmed in other locations, he never got to work with his coactors, except behind the scenes with the latter. “Tim directed the second episode of the season,” he says. “I worked with him in that capacity as an actor at the beginning of the season. I would see Jack and Tim at all the read-throughs of each episode, which we did every couple of weeks. But they’re both great people and obviously, Jack is so fun, and has so much fun when he’s working.”
PABLO Schreiber likes the show’s “unique tone.”
Older sibling
His acting credits include “The Wire” and “Orange is the New Black.” The half-brother of actor Liev Schreiber (“Ray Donovan,” “Scream”) also appeared in films “Lords of Dogtown,” “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and, alongside his older sibling, in “The Manchurian Candidate.”
“My brother grew up in New York and I grew up in British Columbia. We didn’t meet till I was 16 so it would be hard for me to draw a line between his career and mine in terms of his influence on me. But he started to be in movies when I was in high school and I was aware of that,” he says. “I’m sure my decision to be an actor was very much influenced by my father (Tell Schreiber). He was an acting teacher and he directed me in my first appearance on stage ever—my third grade play, when I played the title character of the Lorax!”
As for other acting influences, Schreiber names Robert Duvall, Robert Downey Jr. and Daniel Day-Lewis as some of his favorites. “Daniel is kind of in a category of his own, as far as acting goes at this point,” he gushes. “So to get to be on the set with him, I’m not sure if I can even handle it. I’d probably freak out. He feels a little bit like royalty to me!”
(“The Brink” is currently streaming on HBO Go and will air again Saturday, 12 noon, on HBO Signature.)
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MATTEO Guidicelli in “Single/Single”
‘Single/Single’
In Saturday’s episode of “Single/Single,” Shaina Magdayao and Matteo Guidicelli play squabbling housemates. “Single/Single,” directed by Pepe Diokno, airs every Saturday, 8 p.m. on Cinema One, with replays on Sundays, 10 p.m.
‘Late Show With Stephen Colbert’
“THE LATE Show With Stephen Colbert”
Emmy-winning host Stephen Colbert has taken over “The Late Show” from David Letterman as the host, executive producer and writer. “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” airs weeknights at 10:50 p.m., followed by “The Late Late Show with James Corden” at 11:45 p.m.