Halo TV Show Star on the Pressure of Playing Live-Action Master Chief

Halo actor Pablo Schreiber talks about the pressure of playing a live-action Master Chief. Based on the video game series from Xbox Game Studios, the Halo TV series on Paramount+ is a new adaptation of the first-person shooter that stars Schreiber, Natascha McElhone, Bokeem Woodbine, Yerin Ha, and Jen Taylor. The show is creating a new timeline called the Silver Timeline, which will use existing storylines, characters, etc. at their discretion, rather than following the literal game narrative. The show focuses on Spartan 117, a.k.a. Master Chief, as played by Schreiber, who is the central figure in the Halo game series.

Schreiber is a familiar face, having starred in a number of film and TV projects over the years. One of his first roles was on HBO’s The Wire, as well as shows like Lights Out on FX, A Gifted Man, Weeds, Ironside, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He’s perhaps best known as Mad Sweeney in American Gods, as well as George ‘Pornstache’ Mendez in Netflix’s Orange is the New Black. On the feature side, Schreiber has appeared in Michael Bay’s 13 Hours, Den of Thieves, Skyscraper, and First Man.

While speaking exclusively to Screen Rant, Schreiber talks about what it’s like to take on the role of Master Chief, given the massive role the character plays in the franchise and what he means to the fandom at large. Schreiber says that it’s a “huge honor, huge responsibility,” and that he’s “hugely grateful” to get the opportunity to play the beloved Spartan hero. The actor goes on to explain that he is well aware of how much the character means to fans, and feels a sense of responsibility to “make it right” in his portrayal. Here’s Schreiber’s full comment:

From the moment I got cast, I could feel from the online chatter, etc. how much it meant to people – how much the Halo universe meant to people and how much the character means to people… There’s a sense of ownership you have over the Chief. That we all have, because when you play the game, you’re playing as him. I definitely feel that sense of responsibility to make it right. Not just for Halo fans, but to expose this universe that I’ve fallen so deeply in love with to people who have never played the game and show them all why we love it so much.

For his part in the series, Schreiber will be doing something that’s only ever teased in the games, which is to fully unmask Master Chief for Halo. The issue of the Spartan revealing his face has been a contentious one among fans, as many believe it’s best he keeps the mask on in order to keep the mystery of his character alive. However, since Halo is following a narrative structure that will dig deeper into who Master Chief really is, it became necessary to see more of him, with executive producer Kiki Wolfkill saying that “it felt really important to connect with the Master Chief in a different way, and that meant showing the face.“

Much of the success or failure of Halo will be pinned to Schreiber, so his performance on the series will be pivotal. Seeing his face feels like a necessary and welcome addition to the series, especially as it focuses on him as the lead. However, with or without the mask on, Master Chief is a true video game icon and as such will be under intense scrutiny from the fan base, as expectations must be tempered in this all-new adaptation of the popular series. Schreiber seems well aware of the pressure to deliver and passionate about making that happen, which should help assuage any fears that his dedication is in the right place.

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