Liam Neeson appears ready to bring his action-hero career to a close.
At 72, the Irish actor, who started his career on the theater stages of Belfast, has confirmed his intention to remove himself from action roles after enjoying a late-career resurgence in films such as Taken, Star Wars, and The Grey.
Neeson admits that the physical toll of such roles is becoming more apparent, acknowledging that it’s time to slow down as some stunts may soon be too demanding.
“I’m 72—it has to stop at some stage,” Neeson told People on Wednesday. “You can’t fool audiences. I don’t want Mark [his longtime stunt double Mark Vanselow] to be fighting my fight scenes for me.”
Although he hasn’t set an official retirement date, Neeson suggested that his departure from action films could be as soon as 2025. “Maybe the end of next year. I think that’s it,” he hinted.
Neeson’s next movie, Absolution, which hits theaters on November 1, follows an aging gangster trying to reconnect with his children and make amends for his past. Additionally, he just completed filming a reboot of the classic comedy The Naked Gun.
Neeson, originally from Northern Ireland, made his film debut in the 1978 movie Pilgrim’s Progress. His major breakout role came with Schindler’s List, where his powerful portrayal of Oskar Schindler earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor at the age of 41. In 1999, he joined the Star Wars franchise, playing Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace.
After his role in Star Wars, Neeson’s career shifted toward action, with notable performances in Batman Begins and Taken. Taken transformed him into an unexpected action star in his 50s, propelling him into a new era of fame and establishing him as a leading figure in action thrillers like The Grey and Non-Stop.
Neeson’s decision to step back from action roles comes nearly a year after he revealed he had nearly been cast as James Bond, a role that might have drastically altered his career—and personal life.
Before Schindler’s List was released in 1993, Neeson met Natasha Richardson while co-starring in a Broadway production of Anna Christie. They married in 1994, but Neeson revealed in a Rolling Stone interview that Richardson had made it clear that if he accepted the role of 007, there would be no wedding.
“I knew the Broccolis,” Neeson recalled, referring to the Bond franchise producers Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli and his daughter Barbara. After Schindler’s List, they approached him about becoming the next James Bond. He was interested, but Richardson wasn’t having it. “Liam, I want to tell you something: If you play James Bond, we’re not getting married,” she warned him during the filming of Nell.
“She gave me a James Bond ultimatum. And she meant it!” Neeson added, speculating why she was against it. “Come on, there’s all those gorgeous girls in various countries getting into bed and getting out of bed. I’m sure a lot of her decision-making was based on that!”
Ultimately, the role went to Pierce Brosnan, who made his Bond debut in 1995’s GoldenEye.