Liam Neeson Weighs Retirement From Action Films: ‘You Can’t Fool Audiences’

The actor reinvented himself as an action star with his starring role in the 2008 hit thriller ‘Taken.’ Now he’s 72.
Liam Neeson Weighs Retirement From Action Films: ‘You Can’t Fool Audiences’
Liam Neeson Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
Elma Aksalic
Updated:
0:00

Hollywood star Liam Neeson said retirement from action films could be on the horizon, as the actor contemplates whether he can take on more physical movie roles in the future.

Best known for his action-packed films, the 72-year-old noted he’s still in good health but is thinking ahead to a day when his physicality is questioned.

Even at his age, Neeson continues to perform his own stunts and fight scenes, but not without the help of his longtime collaborator, Mark Vanselow, who assists in more daring feats.

“I’m 72—it has to stop at some stage,” Neeson told People magazine Oct. 23. “You can’t fool audiences. I don’t want Mark to be fighting my fight scenes for me.”

The Oscar nominee hinted at putting an end to action films in 2025.

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

Neeson made his on-screen debut in 1978 in the biblical film “Pilgrim’s Progress,” and has since garnered nearly 200 film and television credits combined.

Over the course of his career, the Ireland native held a number of starring roles in notable films including “Schindler’s List,” “Love Actually,” and “Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace.”

In 2008, at the age of 56, Neeson established himself as an unlikely action hero with the hit thriller “Taken,” reprising the role twice.

His latest action project, “Absolution,” is set to hit theaters Nov. 1, and he also recently wrapped up filming a reboot of the police comedy “The Naked Gun” alongside Pamela Anderson.

Despite being unsure of his own comedy skills, Neeson commended his co-star for her abilities in the franchise’s latest installment.

“Whether I can carry it or not, I honestly don’t know,” he said. "But I’m madly in love with her [Anderson]. I can’t compliment her enough. She’s funny.”

“Absolution” is the story of an aging gangster who attempts to reconnect with his children and fix mistakes made in his past.

Director Hans Petter Molan, who previously worked with Neeson in 2019’s “Cold Pursuit,” praised the actor for his humility and all he brings to the table.

“When he’s immersed in the character he is, you see the hurt, you see the pain, he becomes that man,” Molan said.

Neeson has earned 52 total award nominations and 24 wins over the past couple of decades, notably receiving recognition from the Academy Awards, British Academy Film Awards, and Golden Globes.

Elma Aksalic
Elma Aksalic
Freelance Reporter
Elma Aksalic is a freelance entertainment reporter for The Epoch Times and an experienced TV news anchor and journalist covering original content for Newsmax magazine.
twitter