After almost 50 years, Liam Neeson has played a Jedi Master, a humanitarian Nazi, a charming widower, and an angry father in the Taken franchise, making him an iconic action performer.
At 72, Neeson questions his punching ability and has considered retiring because “it has to stop at some stage.”
Read on to learn about the news that will break Neeson fans’ hearts!
Liam Neeson, an Irish actor, is recognized for his dramatic and action roles. He gained global notoriety and several award nominations for his role as Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List in the early 1990s.
In the next decade, the Oscar-nominated actor played attractive love leads and a Jedi Master in Star Wars, the world’s biggest franchise.
Next, using his “very particular set of skills,” Neeson became an action star with Taken (2008), a risky but successful career change.
The Love Actually star’s move to high-octane thrillers surprised many. Neeson became a main guy in action films at 56, displaying his versatility and popularity across genres and decades.
The star’s portrayal of Bryan Mills, a retired CIA operative trying to rescue his daughter, was a hit in Taken.
“It just seemed to have touched something in the psychic nerve of moviegoing audiences,” the father of two tells People in October 2024.
His tough, uncompromising parent character made him an unlikely but powerful action hero. The film’s phone sequence, where Mills threatens, defined modern action cinema.
The film’s popularity established Neeson as a late-career action star and led to two profitable sequels and more action parts.
“When he’s immersed in the character he is, you see the hurt, you see the pain,” says Hans Petter Moland, who directed Neeson in Cold Pursuit (2019) and Thug. “He becomes that man.”
The Absolution star recently claimed that he will retire from action films due to his age, despite his success and filmmakers’ faith in his punching power.
“I’m 72, it has to stop at some stage,” adds Neeson, who still does many stunts and battle scenes. His longtime stunt coordinator and duplicate Mark Vanselow contributed to this. Their cooperation, which began with Taken, is fundamental to Neeson’s late-career action performances. Vanselow choreographs the tough battle sequences and physical stunts and ensures that Neeson, despite his age, can execute as much action safely.
“You can’t deceive audiences. Neeson said he doesn’t want Mark to fight his combat sequences.
Perhaps late next year, the Oscar-nominated actor said. I think that’s it.”
However, the celebrity appears to be prepared for a comic career change.
He completed filming The Naked Gun, a remake of the 1988 crime parody comedy starring Leslie Nielson.
Previously played by Nielson, Neeson plays cop Frank Drebin in the 2025 picture starring Baywatch beauty Pamela Anderson.
“I love her madly. Not enough praise for her. “She’s funny,” Neeson replies, doubting his own comic skills. “Whether I can carry it, I honestly don’t know.”
Anderson tells People her co-star is “being humble.” “It was hard to keep a straight face in scenes.”
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