Liev Schreiber: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

1. Orson Welles - RKO 281

Liev Schreiber as Orson Welles? Who would have thought that this oddly mismatched pairing would have been so darn brilliant to watch on screen? At first, then, it seems difficult to make a connection between Mr. Schreiber and Mr. Welles - arguably the greatest cinematic genius to have ever lived - until you realise that Liev Schreiber is absolutely perfect for the role: he embodies Welles here (in a HBO TV movie documenting the making of Citizen Kane) with all the force, determination and inner anxiety that made the icon such a bold and fascinating character. The first thing to note about this performance is how, after a few minutes, you actually forget that you're watching Liev Schreiber imitating Orson Welles - the success of the entire picture hangs on his shoulders, but it's also the reason that the movie ultimately works. Not for a minute does Schreiber stop being Welles, embodying the man behind the world's most famous picture with a stunning level of charisma and accuracy. How far this role is from those glimpsed in the likes of Scream... it's no wonder he was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Emmy.