Trending 15th March 2023 by Jade Hayden

Liam Neeson Chats Derry Girls, Airplane!, & His 100th Movie, Marlowe

STELLAR caught up with the star this week.

Liam Neeson is a harding working man.

If his status as icon and legend were for some reason still up for debate, consider the plethora of iconic roles he has portrayed in his impressive and varied career. He’s also about to release his 100th film, so there’s that.

To mark the release of the new movie, Marlowe (directed by Neil Jordan), STELLAR sat down with Liam to chat the Oscars, his iconic cameo in Derry Girls, and of course, his favourite projects to date.

“They’ve all been special,” he says. “Some of them do well at the box office and some of them don’t, that’s neither here nor there. I love film crews. I like forming a bond with a crew. In every one of my 100 films there’s someone who I stay in touch with, there’s someone in my rolodex.

“[Neil] and I are hoping to do another film together [too]. He has written a really good script about a fictitious escape from Rikers Island on the East River in Manhattan, so that’s next.”

Jade & Liam

An actor as prolific as Neeson is sure to be known best by his most iconic roles – Oskar Schindler, Michael Collins, and Bryan Mills to name but a few.

Still, a man of many talents is always certain to boast an extensive back catalogue, and there are certain roles of his that the STELLAR reader is sure to remember fondest. We’re talking his stint in Christmas favourite Love Actually, and of course, his cameo in the final season of Derry Girls.

He remembers shooting the latter fondly, saying “what a series” and points to his next big project as a continuation of his foray into the world of comedy – an Airplane! reboot with Paramount.

“Leslie Nielson always played these heavies in movies and then he did Airplane! and he was hilariously funny, because he was so dead serious. Paramount are rebooting that and they’ve asked would I play that part. It’ll either be the end of my career or it won’t,” he jokes.

“I’m always [critical of my work],” Liam adds. “There was a film called Widows I did four or five years ago and I was miscast. I can say that with clarity. It was Viola Davis and Steve McQueen. Viola’s brilliant, and that’s why I did it.”

But it’s not just Viola Davis’ work that Liam is impressed by. Although the actor didn’t get the chance to watch the Academy Awards on Sunday night, he was of course rooting for fellow Irish talent.

“I’m very proud of the fact that we had 14 nominations,” he said. “I loved Banshees of Inisherin. Barry Keoghan – what a beautiful performance. Colin Farrell, well, he was just too handsome.”

Marlowe director Jordan was interested in this new project because he says it showed a “quieter side” to Liam – and it does. But that doesn’t mean that it’s missing what has fast become a signature Neeson staple: an explosive fight scene.

“I like doing my own fighting,” he says. “Stunts are different, that’s falling over a table or whatever, but I love doing fighting myself. I can still do it, I’m only 70!”

Marlowe will be available to watch on Sky Cinema and in cinemas from March 17. 

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