Liam Neeson has admitted he’s ready to step away from the action roles that made him a household name. At 73, the Taken star says it’s time to leave behind the high-stakes fight scenes and pivot toward roles that better suit his age. In a recent interview with Variety, Neeson reflected on his action movie past, including the hit Taken franchise, which kicked off nearly two decades ago.
“The first Taken was 18 years ago, I was 54,” he said. “Feels like a lifetime ago. I still get offered the occasional one. But I’m 73, for f***’s sake. 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.”
Although he once enjoyed doing his own stunts, Neeson says the reality of age has caught up with him. “I don’t want to be doing that stuff with a Zimmer frame or walking stick. Sure, there might be another [action film] out there, but nothing definite on the horizon.”
Instead, he’s embraced comedy with his latest role as Frank Drebin Jr. in The Naked Gun, a reboot of the classic slapstick detective series. Despite following in the footsteps of the legendary Leslie Nielsen, Neeson didn’t rewatch the original films to prepare. “No, I just trusted the script. And knew it would get better the more they worked on it,” he said, adding that director Akiva Schaffer and an on-set writer constantly refined scenes, offering alternate endings and lines.
Neeson stars opposite Pamela Anderson, and the pair have sparked romance rumors while promoting the film. Although he didn’t confirm anything, Neeson admitted their natural chemistry helped bring the movie’s cheeky humor to life. “From day one we just seemed to have a nice chemistry together… We had dinner a couple of times. She’s a wonderful baker. She made me sourdough bread… and her assistant made some beautiful gluten-free muffins.”
Though The Naked Gun is packed with hilarious moments and physical gags, Neeson said the cast took their work seriously. “It was serious business, of course, shooting any movie and keeping a sense of lightness. That’s very important,” he explained. “When we rehearsed stuff, we’d get rid of our personal giggles… some of the scenes require certain choreography—sight gags and stuff like that.”
With a career that’s spanned decades and genres, Liam Neeson is embracing a new chapter—less punching, more punchlines.
