With a career spanning over two decades,Pablo Schreiberhas appeared in a variety of impressive movies and TV shows. The Canadian-American actor made a name for himself with memorable roles in a number of prestige television series that includeHBO’s masterpieceThe Wire,American Gods, andOrange is the New Black, with the latter performance earning him a Primetime Emmy Nomination. From 2022-2024, Pablo Schreiber starred as Master Chief in thelive-action adaptation ofHaloon Paramount+.
Schrieber’s career goes beyond television as well, as he has had roles in films likeDen of Thieves,13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi,andthe Dwayne Johnson-ledSkyscraper. He has also excelled as a stage actor both on and off Broadway, with his 2006 role inAwake and Sing!earning him a Tony Award nomination. With roles in projects likeMotor City, andHis & Herson the horizon, it doesn’t seem like Schrieber is slowing down anytime soon, continuously adding to his growing filmography.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
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13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, directed by Michael Bay, chronicles the 2012 attack on a U.S. compound in Libya. The film follows a security team as they navigate the chaos after an American Ambassador is killed, focusing on their efforts to protect those remaining amidst the violence.
Starring John Krasinski post-The Officefame,13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghaziis a thrilling look chronicling the six members of the Annex Security Team who fought to defend the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi on July 23, 2025. It’s tense from start to finish, largely due to the skill Michael Bay shows behind the camera in a more mature turn for the director than what audiences have grown accustomed to. In fact, it sometimes feels like13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghaziis one of Bay’s most underrated films.
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Pablo Schreiber is reliably great in the movie as Kris “Tanto” Paronto, a former Army Ranger and one of the members of the team.Schreiber’s Paronto brings a lot of the much-needed humor to the film, allowing for moments of levity between the tense carnage on display. It’s an incredible performance that shows Schreiber’s preparation for the role paid off.
Released in 2018, there wasn’t a ton of expectations forDen of Thieves, but the Gerard Butler-led action film about a group of ex-Marine thieves planning to rob the Federal Reserve exceeded all expectations. In fact, it was a pretty great movie with some incredible action setpieces featured throughout. Despite being dumped in theaters in January,Den of Thieveswent on to be quite successful and even spawned an even better sequel,Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, that was released in January 2025.
Pablo Schreiber plays Ray Merrimen inDen of Thieves, one of the crew’s leaders and also a schemer who has a siginifcant role in the events of the film.It’s a perfect role for Schreiber, who is able to use his physicality to his advantageand craft a compelling character in the process. Ray Merrimen isn’t the most complex character in the world, but he is fascinating to watch and Schreiber’s performance is a big reason for that.
Halo
A live-action adaptation of the video game franchise of the same name, Halo follows Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 (Pablo Schrieber) as he fights his part in a war between humanity’s United Nations Space Command (UNSC) and the Covenant, an alliance of multiple hostile races of aliens intent on destroying the human race. The Master Chief is supported by Cortana (Jen Taylor) - an AI construct based on the personality of Dr. Catherine Halsey, who created the Spartan supersoldier program - implanted in his brain.
Despite the messy internet discourse surrounding theHaloTV adaptation, it’s actually a really strong series, taking inspiration from its source material to try and craft something new with it. While the first season was simply decent, the show really stepped up in season 2, crafting one of the most exciting modern science-fiction shows. Unfortunately,Halowas canceled after season 2, likely due to how expensive it was to make the series.
The Master Chief armor that Pablo Schreiber wears in the show is mostly practical, an impressive feat for the costuming department.
So much about Master Chief revolved around him having his helmet off for a significant amount of the show, but Pablo Schreiber is fantastic as the character, both because of his physical prowess, but also for his talent as an actor.It’s a new take on Master Chief, and Schreiber nails the material he is given, even if some of the changes to one of gaming’s most iconic characters might have been controversial.
With incredible performances from Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, and Jaeden Martell,Defending Jacobis a fascinating look at the American legal system as a family must come to terms with the possibility that their son is guilty after being accused of murder. This legal drama was a great addition to the Apple TV+ lineup, as it does a solid job of exploring its complex narrative and issues that it routinely brings up.
Schreiber is so great in the role, making a fantastic opposing force to the Barber family as he aggressively pursues what he thinks is right.
Despite being an acting showcase for the main cast, Pablo Schreiber is no slouch inDefending Jacob, playing Neal Logiudice, an Assistant District Attorney and prosecutor in the case against Jaeden Martell’s Jacob Barber. Schreiber is so great in the role, making a fantastic opposing force to the Barber family as he aggressively pursues what he thinks is right.It’s arguably one of Schreiber’s most complex roles, and he takes it in stride.
Though American Godsstumbled a bit in its second and third seasons, its first season makes it one of the strongest TV shows of the past decade, expertly translating its weighty source material into something incredibly entertaining. The series follows a man recently released from prison who finds himself involved in a war between the New Gods and the Old Gods. It’s an inventive series that takes a lot of narrative risks and although it doesn’t always pay off, it’s refreshingly original.
Pablo Schreiber plays Mad Sweeney during the first two seasons ofAmerican Gods, a leprechaun employed by Mr. Wednesday who is trying to come to terms with losing his charm. Schreiber is fantastic as the character, and brings a lot of humor to the role in a surprising number of ways. It’sone of Pablo Schreiber’s most bold performancesand he nails it.
Failing to reach the monumental critical acclaim ofLa La LandorWhiplash, and not nearly as divisive asBabylon,First Mancan often feel left out when talking about director Damien Chazelle’s impressive filmography. It’s unfortunate becauseFirst Manis a very good film, with a quiet, poignant look at Neil Armstrong and the imminent mission of Apollo 11. It’s a beautiful-looking film, featuring some incredible performances, particularly with Ryan Gosling as Armstrong.
Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench
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Pablo Schreiber plays Jim Lowell in the film, a Gemini astronaut and the backup commander for Apollo 11. Schreiber has routinely excelled in these types of roles throughout his career and his performance inFirst Manis no different, making the most of the screentime he is given. As it is among Chazelle’s resume,First Manis one of Schreiber’s most underrated performances, as he holds his own among some of Hollywood’s strongest actors.
Directed by Jonathan Demme,The Manchurian Candidateis a psychological political thriller that focuses on a group of soldiers kidnapped and brainwashed for sinister purposes. Starring Denzel Washington and Liev Schreiber,The Manchurian Candidateis a tense, white-knuckled thriller that features some truly knockout performances alongside its chilling plot line, making it a fantastic modern update to the 1962 film and 1959 novel of the same name.
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The Manchurian Candidateis actually one of the earliest movies of Pablo Schreiber’s career, andit gave him a chance to work alongside his half-brother Liev Schreiber. Pablo plays Eddie Ingram in the film, one of the soldiers that was subjected to horrific psychological experiments. It’s not the most significant role of Schreiber’s career, but it is an important one, showing the talent he has, even with limited screen time.
Running for 26 seasons and counting,Law & Order: Special Victims Unitis one of TV’s most enduring scripted shows of all time, with the fourth-highest episode count ever, only behindThe Simpsons,Gunsmoke, andLassie. Following the Special Victims Unit of the NYPD, the series tackles heavy topics of abuse and assault of primarily women and children with an empathetic eye, making it one of the best procedurals of all time.
Even though he didn’t appear until season 14, Pablo Schreiber’s William Lewis plays a significant role inLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit, a serial rapist and murderer who presents a dangerous threat during his time on the show. William Lewis grows obsessed with Mariska Hargitay’s Detective Olivia Benson, andSchreiber’s chilling portrayal still makes Lewis one of the show’s creepiest villains of all time.
Exploring life in a women’s prison facility,Orange is the New Blackis one of the greatest Netflix original shows of all time, running for seven seasons and winning a variety of awards along the way. Initially premiering in 2013,Orange is the New Blackis largely considered one of the best shows of the streaming era, exploring a diverse cast and a number of social issues during its run, with some truly memorable characters featured throughout.
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Pablo Schreiber played George “Pornstache” Mendez for a number of seasons ofOrange is the New Black, with a recurring role in the first three seasons and guest appearances in seasons 5 and 7,which earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination. Schreiber is phenomenal as one of the show’s early antagonists, making Pornstache one of the most memorable characters from the start.
It’s hard to overstate just how incredibleThe Wireis. Largely considered one of the greatest shows ever made,The Wirewas a hit on HBO during its 5-season run from 2002-2008. Based in Baltimore, the series focuses on a different institution and its relationship to law enforcement, with a new focus each season that includes illegal drug trade, education and schools, government bureaucracy, and more. It’s a masterpiece of TV, and an essential part of Pablo Schreiber’s acting career.
Schreiber appeared during season 2 ofThe Wire, playing Nick Sobotka, a dockworker and drug dealer who is one of the season’s best characters. After season 2,Pablo Schreiberwouldn’t show up again as Nick Sobotka until season 5, where he has a brief guest appearance. Despite being in the series for only one full season,The Wirewas Schreiber’s big breakthrough role, and is still the best part of his entire filmography.
