Some might know him best as the adorable dad inLove, Actually, but to many,Liam Neesonis a bona fideactionstar. The Irish actor made a name for himself in the genre with theTakenseries, and Neeson has since used his particular set of skills to thrill and entertain audiences with dozens of action thrillers. In his new film,The Naked Gun, Neeson blends action with surreal comedy to great effect. But, the action star has revealed that he could lean more towards the latter genre, and that his action days might be behind him.
Liam Neeson recently spoke toVarietyaboutThe Naked Gunand his future in the action genre. Despite being one of the most recognizable action stars still working today, Neeson’s tenure in the genre may be coming to an end. “The firstTakenwas 18 years ago, I was 54,” the actor said of his long career in the genre. “Feels like a lifetime ago. I still get offered the occasional one.” But, when Neeson is offered more action roles, he has the same hilarious response to them all:
“I’m 73, for f*ck’s sake.”
In his most popular action movies, Neeson tries to do as many of his own fights and stunts as possible. But, with his age, that is becoming increasingly difficult, and he feels it is an “insult” to audiences to let a stunt performer take over everything. “I don’t want to insult audiences if they’re watching whole fight scenes and it’s not me. I just wouldn’t do it,” he said, continuing:
“Up until recently, I liked doing my own fight stuff. But I don’t want to be doing that stuff with a Zimmer frame or walking stick. Sure, there might be another one out there, but nothing definite on the horizon.”
So, What Next for Liam Neeson?
Fear not, action aficionados, as Liam Neeson still has some gas left in the tank before officially retiring from the genre. He has already completedCold Storage, a new action/horror filmby Johnny Campbell. Neeson is also set to star in several other action films, includingHotel Tehran,The Riker’s Ghost,The Mongoose, andRun All Night 2.
Outside the action genre, Neeson will also appear in4 Kids Walk Into a Bank. Based on the graphic novel by Matthew Rosenberg and Tyler Boss, the film is being directed by Frankie Shaw. The official synopsis reads:
“After the death of her mother, Paige’s grandfather becomes her guardian. When criminals demand that Paige’s grandpa join them for one last job, she has a choice: let her grandpa return to his criminal ways or enlist her three best friends.”
The Naked Gunhas also been a surprising hit,holding an 89% Rotten Tomatoes score, with a 75% audience rating, and grossing a modest $36 million worldwide. That might not sound like much, but you have to remember it’s competing againstSupermanandThe Fantastic Four: First Steps. Given the film’s success, some are hoping for a sequel. However, this has not been confirmed.
The Naked Gun
