Pablo Tell Schreiber (born April 26 1978) is a Canadian‑American actor known for his work in television, film, and theatre. He has received recognition for a range of supporting and leading roles, including nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Tony Award.
Early life and education
Schreiber was born in Ymir, British Columbia, Canada, to American actor Tell Carroll Schreiber and Canadian psychotherapist Lorraine Reaveley. He was named after Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. When he was six months old his family moved to the rural community of Winlaw, British Columbia, and later, at age 12, he relocated with his father to Seattle, Washington. After high school he briefly attended the University of San Francisco before transferring to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre in 2000.
Career
Television
Schreiber’s breakout television role was as Nick Sobotka in the second season of HBO’s crime drama The Wire (2003). He later portrayed William Lewis on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2013–2014), Mad Sweeney on the Starz series American Gods (2017–2021), and George “Pornstache” Mendez on Netflix’s Orange Is the Black (2013–2017), a performance that earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. From 2022 to 2024 he starred as Master Chief in the Paramount+ live‑action adaptation of Halo.
Film
Schreiber’s film work includes early appearances in Bubble Boy (2001) and The Manchurian Candidate (2004), followed by roles in Lords of Dogtown (2005), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), Nights in Rodanthe (2008), Allegiance (2012), and Preservation (2014). He co‑starred in Michael Bay’s 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016) and later appeared in the action heist film Den of Thieves (2018) and the Dwayne Johnson‑led thriller Skyscraper (2018). In 2020 he featured in the drama Lorelei.
Stage
Schreiber is also acclaimed for his stage performances. He earned a Tony Award nomination for his Broadway work in Awake and Sing! (2006) and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for Reasons to Be Pretty (2009).
Personal life
Schreiber married actress Jessica Monty in 2007; the couple divorced in 2014. They have two children. He is the half‑brother of actor Liev Schreiber.
Awards and nominations
- Primetime Emmy Award nomination, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Orange Is the Black)
- Tony Award nomination, Best Featured Actor in a Play (Awake and Sing!)
- Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Reasons to Be Pretty)
Schreiber continues to work across multiple media, balancing television, film, and theatre projects.
