Liam Neeson talks about his new film and why he said yes to a Naked Gun sequel

Liam Neeson was 56 years old when his career took an unexpected turn into the action hero genre thanks to 2008’s . taken, a surprise film directed by Pierre Morel that grossed over $226 million worldwide and launched the franchise. He’s kept up a respectable pace ever since, churning out one high-octane thriller after another – and he’s not ready to hang up his pod.

“Audiences are naturally smart and will know when you’re past your peak in terms of throwing punches and shooting, but I’m not there yet,” Neeson explained over Zoom last week while discussing his latest film. In the land of saints and sinners. The Samuel Goldwyn Films release stars Neeson, who turns 72 in June, as Finbar Murphy, a man living a relatively quiet life in the remote coastal town of Glencolmcille, Ireland, in the 1970s. While he is eager to leave his dark past behind, a crew of terrorists arrives in the village, led by a tough woman, who plays herself. Panchayat Incherin stars Kerry Condon, forcing him to choose between revealing his secret identity or protecting his neighbors.

The film, which premiered last fall at the Venice Film Festival, gave Neeson more than one more opportunity to pick up a gun. He offered another opportunity to work with him Archer Robert Lorenz’s helmer has the great bonus of being surrounded by a group of prominent Irish actors, many of whom he considers close friends, including Ciaran Hinds and Colm Meaney. Neeson speaks to Hollywood Reporter About working with his old friends, and how he came to sign on Naked gun The sequel and upcoming film also stars his mother-in-law, Vanessa Redgrave, who is expected to “steal the entire movie.”

Let’s talk about Finbar Murphy, who is not your typical hitman. Fyodor Dostoyevsky reads and has a conscience. What attracted you the most to play with him?

It’s a shame, actually, that he doesn’t have a more Irish name, isn’t it? It was an opportunity to work with Rob Lorenz, again, who is an amazing director. This is our second time out, and we are actively looking for a third time. It was also an opportunity to work with the brother I never had, Kieran Hinds; My oldest friend, Colm Meaney; Jack Gleason; And the lovely Kerry Condon, she’s amazing. I thought it was a good, modern, western facility in the northwest of Ireland. It was a good shot. Tom Stern, our director of photography, was with me in Australia, and we shot four films together. He’s fast and keeps a great pace. This movie checked all the boxes.

With all the Irish talent together, how does that impact the group?

Well, with these particular people, Ciaran, Colm, Jack, Kerry and myself, we all leave our egos at the door. When you get called to the set, you go. Don’t wait half an hour or 40 minutes like some actors and actresses do. We’re there to make the film, tell the story. Colm, I’ve known for 40 years, and Ciaran, 50 years. Egos are left at the door as we move on.

You mentioned the pace of shooting, and I was thinking about the pace you maintain when it comes to making back-to-back films. When you’re working, what rules do you follow to keep the trains moving so you can maintain that momentum?

You take as much time as you need, but the movies I do are fairly fast-paced kind of thrillers. You shouldn’t take endless shots, you know what I mean? This can dampen the energy on set, both in front of the camera and behind it as well. I’ve done a shoot like this, and it’s like pulling teeth. I was really lucky. Rob comes from the Clint Eastwood school of photography, and he’s directed, I don’t know, 15 movies together. Clint doesn’t mess around. Personally, I like that pace.

Obviously you’ve found a great partner in Rob, as you said, in photography Archer, this movie and you said you were looking for a third movie together. What’s up with him?

He got it. Obviously the cornerstone is the script, and if it’s a good story and we’ve loved it and committed to it, what’s a more appropriate way to shoot that and enjoy ourselves. I don’t mean we make jokes all the time, but there can be a nice, healthy atmosphere and experience on set. Tom, Rob, myself, Ciaran, Colm and Kerry, we have a lot of experience between us and it’s great to put that experience to use, without patting yourself on the back or blowing smoke up your ass. You have a kind of unspoken connection, at least I do with Rob and some of the directors. You don’t have to think through every scene and discuss the importance of the moment, you know what I mean? I just got it.

Speaking of the script and the story, I imagine you connect with them on a deeper level. I grew up in Ireland at a time when there was a lot of violence and car bombings. What do you remember?

I remember a lot. First of all, I wasn’t involved in anything, not even Ciaran who grew up in Belfast. My hometown was 30 miles outside Belfast, but I was studying at university at the time, in 1971 and 1972. was bad. You could hear bombs going off and gunfire from a speeding car and things like that. It was a very bad and terrible time for everyone. So, it’s interesting to do a film like this, which is entertaining but based on a reality that happened. We didn’t swell when we were shooting, but we all just got it.

It’s interesting, though, that when I tell my American friends about growing up in the north of Ireland where we were surrounded by violence, military violence, paramilitary violence, and constant news of the Troubles, I think this triggers a certain amount of PTSD. I don’t feel it, but there has to be something. Maybe that will be released somehow with a movie like Saints and sinners. I don’t know. But when I talk about it or when someone asks me a question about it, I say to myself, “Oh my God, this actually happened. Bloody hell.”

Instead, I wanted to ask you about your upcoming work schedule. I see you do Naked gun sequel. After a series of intense action films, I imagine it would be interesting to do a comedy. What else attracted you about doing this?

It’s funny because right before Christmas, my kids and I would be looking through the Academy screens and trying to find something silly, or a movie that was still stupid that we could laugh at. There were none, of course, as they were all very heavy and international. I mean, great movies, but they’re all so heavy. When Seth MacFarlane approached me about it — that was about two years ago — I thought, yeah, I think I can do it as long as I play it seriously and don’t try to imitate Mr. Leslie Nielsen. It was great. It is directed by Akiva Schiffer, who is from (Saturday Night Live) world. I’m looking forward to it. It’s a good script, with a few laugh-out-loud moments.

Also on your schedule, I see a movie called Cold storage From director Johnny Campbell about a fungus wreaking havoc on the world. Your mother-in-law, Vanessa Redgrave, has a role in the film. You share a close bond, even an agent in CAA’s Chris Andrews. How did you happen to be involved in this film and what was it like working together?

Well, I never had any scenes with Vanessa at all. In fact, the day I started working was the day I returned home from Rome. But we were in the same hotel so we had dinner. Her character and scenes in the movie, she will probably steal the movie. It’s a perfect choice for this. It’s a good script and a good story. But, yeah, you’ll steal the damn movie.

Two years ago, during an interview on NBC today Show with Willie Guest, she talked about overcoming the action genre. At the time, you said you weren’t sure how long you’d be able to do this on the eve of your 70th birthday. Has anything changed?

I’m 72 in June, for God’s sake. But there are a few texts I’m interested in that I probably won’t get access to until 2025 that aren’t specifically action oriented. This is what I did in Melbourne, (Ice Road 2: Road to Heaven), there is little work. But I think the day my fight coordinator, Mark Fanselow, says to me, ‘Look, Liam, I’ve got to step in and do this,’ I’ll know when to stop fighting. Viewers are naturally smart and will know when you’re past your peak in terms of throwing punches and shooting, but I’m not there yet. I may have one or two left in me. I’ve been very privileged and honored to be a part of the action genre ever since taken The movie we shot 16, 17, 18 years ago.

Where do you go from here?

Just focus on The bare gun. We start in May, May or June, in Atlanta, Georgia. After that, we’ll see. There is nothing specific.