Liev Schreiber Says He Almost Skipped 2025 Critics Choice Awards but His Wife and Son Convinced Him to Go Before Big Win

Mar. 15, 2025

Liev Schreiber attends the 30th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Barker Hangar on February 07, 2025 in Santa Monica, Calif.Photo:Amy Sussman/Getty

Amy Sussman/Getty

Liev Schreiberis proving he’s part of a perfect couple!

“Thank you to my beautiful wife Taylor and my son Sasha for convincing me to come,” he said. “I told them that there’s no way on God’s earth and that company that I would win this award.”

Schreiber continued, “I’m very, very grateful, and I think it really comes down to Susanne Bier,Nicole Kidman,Dakota Fanning– an extraordinary ensemble of actors.”

The actor shares childrenSasha, 17, andKai, 16, with his ex-girlfriendNaomi Watts, whom he dated from 2005 to 2016. He also shares daughterHazel Beewith his wife Neisen.

Liev Schreiber as Tag Winbury in ‘The Perfect Couple’.Seacia Pavao/Netflix

Seacia Pavao/Netflix

In September, Hilderbrandtold PEOPLEthat Schreiber was her dream actor for the role, detailing how he got cast.

“I really wanted Liev to do it,” she said. “I was a hugeRay Donovanfan, he’s one of my favorite actors. And I sent my wish to the showrunner. And she said, ‘I don’t know.’ And then a few weeks later, she goes, ‘Elin, you might get your wish.’ And she didn’t say in regard to what, but I was hoping that’s what she was talking about.”

Among the nominees wereRobert Downey Jr.forThe Sympathizer,Hugh GrantforThe Regime,Ron Cephas JonesforGenius: MLK/X,Logan LermanforWe Were the Lucky Ones,andTreat WilliamsforFeud: Capote vs. The Swans.

Robert Downey Jr.Hopper Stone/HBO

Hopper Stone/HBO

Downey Jr., who was an executive producer onThe Sympathizer, is the only person from the hit show who received a Critics Choice nomination. He also acted in several roles for the limited series, including the CIA agent Claude, professor Robert Hammer, Congressman Ned Godwin and film director Niko Damianos.

The Sympathizeris based on author Viet Thanh Nguyen’s 2015 novel of the same name, which follows a French-Vietnamese spy (Hoa Xuande) for Communist forces during the Vietnam War’s final days and starsSandra Ohand Fred Nguyen.

In April, Downey Jr. spoke withExtraat the Los Angeles premiere, where heshared detailsabout how his kidshelped him shave his headfor the role.

“They seemed anxious to shave my dome,” the star admitted. “There’s something really cathartic about shaving your head or shaving someone’s head, and then our daughter Avri was a bigStranger Thingsfan and she actually gave herself a buzz cut at one point, too, so I don’t know what to say about all this.”

Hugh Grant.Miya Mizuno/HBO

Miya Mizuno/HBO

Grant plays Edward Keplinger inThe Regime,which “tells the story of life within the walls of a modern authoritarian regime as it unravels,” per itssynopsis. He worked alongsideKate Winslet, 29 years after the two were first paired in 1995’s Jane Austen adaptation,Sense and Sensibility.

“It was honestly amazing because I haven’t really seen him sinceSense and Sensibility,and as you say, it’s a very, very long time — three decades,” Winslet toldEntertainment Tonightof Grant in February 2024. “I just was excited to get in a room and play with him in this kind of more grown-up version of myself.”

Grant is the only recipient of a nomination for the HBO show, which also stars Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne,Andrea RiseboroughandMartha Plimpton.

Ron Cephas Jones.National Geographic/Richard DuCree

National Geographic/Richard DuCree

Jones, whodied in August 2023after filming National Geographic’sGenius: MLK/X, played Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad on the anthology series. The show premiered after Jones’ death, but his costars, such asAaron Pierre, were grateful to have the opportunity to work with the actor.

“It’s an outstanding performance,” Pierretold PEOPLEin February 2024 whenGeniuspremiered, adding: “I felt incredibly safe working with him, I felt protected working with him, I felt supported working with him. And his impact on my life is something I’ll never forget and something I’ll always treasure. I’m deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to witness his greatness.”

Pierre also spoke on behalf of the cast and crew, includingKelvin Harrison Jr.,Weruche Opia, Jayme Lawson, Gary Carr, Hubert Point-Du Jour and more, saying, “We celebrate and champion [Jones].”

Logan Lerman.Hulu

Hulu

Lerman took on the role of Addy Kurc inWe Were the Lucky Ones, which was based on theGeorgia Hunternovel about her Polish-Jewish family’s experience surviving the Holocaust. In aninterview with PEOPLEin March 2024, Lerman said the Hulu miniseries and his character “resonated” with him.

“I read the book and fell in love with Georgia’s family story,” he explained. “It really resonated with me in a personal way because Addy, who is Georgia Hunter’s grandfather in real life, his story really resembled my grandfather’s story and I hadn’t seen that explored before.”

Sharing his personal connection to the Holocaust, he added: “My grandfather was born in Germany and at seven years old he fled Germany with his family, his parents and his sister, and went on this long journey seeking refuge and found refuge in China. And it’s an incredible journey and story that he experienced.”

The drama series was also nominated for best limited series at this year’s Critics Choice Awards.

Treat Williams.Pari Dukovic/FX

Pari Dukovic/FX

The late Williams received a nomination for playing Bill Paley inFeud: Capote vs. The Swanson FX, based on the aftermath of the fallout between Truman Capote and his friend group of Manhattan socialites after the release of his salacious “La Côte Basque, 1965” story. Williamsdied in a motorcycle accidentin June 2023, seven months before the show premiered.

“The last thing he said to me was, he grabbed my face and said, ‘I loved every minute,’” series co-creatorRyan Murphytold PEOPLEin February 2024.

Naomi Watts, who executive producedCapote Vs. The Swans,also told PEOPLEthat Williams had expressed his enjoyment working on the anthology series.

“He was delighted every day with these incredible scenes,” she said at the time. “He talked about it, ‘I cannot believe I’ve got such good material.’ And I think we all felt like that, even some of those scenes where he was behaving horribly — the character, not Treat!”

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SeePEOPLE’s full coverageof the 30th annual Critics Choice Awards as they’re broadcasting live on E! from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. The show will also be available to stream the following day on Peacock.

source: people.com