Liam Neeson chose love over James Bond after his wife gave him an ultimatum in the ’90s.
“If you play 007, we won’t get married! ‘ Natasha introduced Richardson to actor Liam Neeson, who had achieved Oscar-nominated success with his role in the film Schindler’s List. The actor, who is now a widower after his wife’s fatal skiing accident in Mont-Tremblant in March 2009, recently told Rolling Stone magazine.
James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli had contacted the actor several times in the 1990s to ask if he was interested in playing the role of the famous agent 007.
“Yes, I was interested,” added the star of The Abduction (Taken) film series. Then my lovely wife, God rest her soul, said to me, “Liam, I want to tell you something: if you play James Bond, we will not get married”. And she meant it! »
The fact that many beautiful girls in different countries dream of James Bond would be the reason for this ultimatum. “I’m sure a lot of his decisions were based on that! »
The 70-year-old actor took the threat seriously. Despite everything, he did not fail to tease those who became his wife about it.
“I went behind his back, placed my fingers like I was holding a gun and hummed the James Bond theme. I loved doing that shit! »
Years later, Neeson played the role of Qui-Gon Jinn in the film Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Another very lucrative franchise. However, in a recent television interview, he said he would not be returning to Star Wars.
“There are so many Star Wars spinoffs, it watered it down for me and it kind of took away the mystery and the magic,” he explained.
Liam Neeson stars in the film Marlowe which is currently in theatres.