‘It has to stop at some stage’: Liam Neeson shares surprise career move

Popular actor Liam Neeson has become known for his tough guy roles in recent years thanks to appearances in a string of successful action films, but now the Taken star has hinted that he is looking at retiring from the genre.

The 72-year-old made a name for himself with leading roles in hit dramas before winning over audiences with his 2008 thriller Taken but Neeson fears his days of rough-and-tumble roles are coming to an end and he wants to bow out before he’s unable to convincingly throw a punch.

“I’m 72 — it has to stop at some stage,” said Neeson, who performs in his own fight scenes but leaves the more difficult stunt work to longtime collaborator Mark Vanselow.

“You can’t fool audiences. I don’t want Mark to be fighting my fight scenes for me.

“Maybe the end of next year. I think that’s it.”

Although Neeson has enjoyed his time as an action star, he previously noted how the stunts had begun to take a toll.

“I love doing ’em,” he told Entertainment Tonight in 2021.

“I love beating up guys half my age. I’ve just finished one in Australia and I had a fight scene with a kid — lovely, sweet actor called Taylor — and halfway through the fight I looked up, I was breathless and it didn’t cost him a cent, and I said, ‘Taylor, what age are you?’. He said, ’25’. I said, ‘That’s the age of my eldest son!’.”

While fans will no longer see Neeson running from explosions or taking out bad guys, they will next catch him trying his hand at comedy with his upcoming role in the reboot of Leslie Nielsen’s police comedy The Naked Gun where he will play the role of Frank Drebin Jr – the son of Nielsen’s protagonist Detective Frank Drebin from the original films.

Still, Neeson remains uncertain about his future in comedy.

“Whether I can carry it or not, I honestly don’t know,” he said.

-with BANG.