Actor Liev Schreiber was rushed to a New York hospital yesterday after suddenly experiencing an intense headache.
The Golden Globe nominee was concerned enough to call his doctor, who advised him to head to the hospital for urgent evaluation. Liev, who was in crime drama Ray Donovan for seven years, underwent a full series of medical tests as doctors attempted to determine what had caused the alarming symptoms.
Early assessments indicate the 58-year-old performer remains fully conscious and responsive in the hospital. It said he is able to speak clearly, walk without difficulty, and move all of his limbs normally, and so doctors are confident he did not experience a stroke or major neurological impairment.
But medics continue to monitor Liev, a father of three, closely as he awaits his test results. He had described the headache as “massive”, according to early reports in the US.
This isn’t the first time Liev, born in San Francisco, California, has experienced a sudden and medically puzzling episode. He has previously spoken about a frightening incident that occurred while he was performing on Broadway, when he suffered what was later diagnosed as transient global amnesia. The condition, which causes abrupt and temporary memory loss, struck him in the middle of a stage performance. He recalled getting a powerful headache backstage and feeling immediately aware that something was very wrong.
During the episode, he suddenly couldn’t remember the name of a co-star standing right in front of him. When he walked out onstage, he found that he couldn’t remember his lines — or even which play he was performing. The sensation, as he described it later, was as though his entire memory had dropped away at once. An MRI eventually ruled out more dangerous causes such as a stroke or a brain bleed, and he was diagnosed with transient global amnesia. His memory returned fully by the next morning, and doctors explained that the condition, though dramatic, typically resolves on its own without long-term harm.
Doctors are not yet certain whether the severe headache that sent him to the hospital this week is connected in any way to his earlier episode. No conclusions have been made regarding the star’s situation, and testing is still being conducted. However, migraines are thought to be related to transient global amnesia.
Schreiber and Taylor Neisen have a young daughter together, and they are both engaged in private life. He previously dated actress Naomi Watts, and he has two older children, Kai and Sasha. As he goes through a continual evaluation, family members are said to be by his side.
