Tough guy Liev Schreiber joins me on Fresh Air

Brace yourself – it’s time for a week of Fresh Air Without Terry Gross.

Terry has the week off, which puts me in her chair and will limit my running commentary on local matters of politics and civic life. Maybe just as well, since many of the folks who run things in Pennsylvania are headed to the beach and mountains, with far too little accomplished.

But life goes on, and Monday’s Fresh Air features my interview with actor Liev Schreiber, who plays a tough guy who cleans up messes for Hollywood’s power set in a new Showtime series called “Ray Donovan.” As you’ll hear, Schreiber is a smart, engaging guy with great versatility and classical theatre training who’s ended up playing a lot of menacing characters over the years.

Schreiber attributes this to his looks, which he says includes “Slavic fat pads.”

He’ll talk about some of his better-known roles, and a bit about life with Naomi Watts and their two kids. And it turns out he’s made a niche for himself narrating documentaries. It’s a fun moment when I ask him to give me a little of his narrator’s voice and he read instructions on the audio equipment in the studio.

Later in the week, I’ll have interviews about reporting on the cartels in Mexico, the implementation of Obamacare, and more.

You can hear Fresh Air at 3 and 7 on 91FM. If you’re listening outside the Philadelphia area, find a station here.