You sort of take them and exaggerate them.
You know, are you scared of ghosts?
Is it the devil?
Im very scared of the devil.
[To Liam] See if you’ve got the option to be better than that.
[Laughs]
Liam Neeson:Its just we all know the nightmares of airports nowadays.
Its playing on those fears, but its an entertainment, you know?
It would have been totally insensitive, but its a backdrop to a thriller.
Thats what it is.
Ad content continues below
JM:Wed run screaming from the room!
[Laughs]
LN:What do you do now?
I mean, I dont know.
Thankfully Ive never been in that situation.
Youd like to think you would be heroic, but who knows, you know?
You wouldnt venture to kick anyones ass?
JM:Just mine.
LN:I dont think so.
What drew you to your roles and, Liam, have you had any martial arts training?
Its so corny, you know?
Whatever physical altercations happen on the airplane, we wanted to make them real.
I worked quite closely with a special forces guy that trains air marshals.
So we tried to keep that real and exciting too, of course.
LN:Yeah, but you learn it and then you forget about it.
Its like learning a dance; you learn that dance for the scene or something.
Or studying for exams.
You [study, study], exams over and youve forgotten half of it except for light saber.
I know how to [handle that].
Do you have a lucky charm that you bring on flights with you?
Do you know Ciaran Hinds?
Hes my oldest friend.
We were going to a theater course in a place called Enschede, 30 miles south of Amsterdam.
It was terrifying, flying.
It was a hop and a skip, thats all it was, but that was my first time.
I was very, very scared.
Very nervous, I should say.
Is Ciaran your lucky charm then?
LN:I guess he is in a way, actually.
We havent flown together since.
JM:My first flight, I dont remember this.
My mother said that we flew back from Panama.
My father was stationed at the canal zone all those years ago.
Do either of you ever feel ill at ease when youre traveling?
LN:I have to admit, I dont.
Listen, we all know what security at airports is like.
Weve all experienced it and its a nightmare, but these are the times were living in.
I feel totally safe, and thats my experience now.
JM:I do.
How do you feel about the intimacy of the production?
How did that help your performances and also did being in an actual airport setting help increase the tension?
JM:It was like chickens being let out of a pen.
[Laughs] Were all like, Ahhh, its a regular place!
Look at this place!
You want to go get coffee?
You want to go over there?
You want to go over there?
Yeah, our set was nice!
LN:The set was great.
It was tough on the crew.
JM:Reading a magazine.
It was pretty comfortable, and it was a great group of people.
It really is wonderfully cast.
To have Lupita Nyongo and Michelle Dockery as your flight attendants?
And, you know, Corey Stoll, Scoot McNairy, Nate Parker and Linus Roache.
It was really great and so it was fun to be with everybody.
It was nice to have everyone on set.
LN:Everyday too, so it was great.
We looked forward to it.
It was lovely to be with these people, and the extras, too.
There were over a 100 extras.
We got to know them, some of them quite well.
They had a lot to do, you know?
Both of your characters had an air of mystery.
There are a lot of questions that are never answered.
How was it developing characters like that for this movie?
People dont know your name.
They might know your first name, not your last name, or vice versa.
They dont know what you do and youre not gonna offer it up.
That just the raise of an eyebrow sometimes might just be too much.
But shes just opening her eyes!
Every little nuisance or gesturewe were aware could take on some significance.
That being said, we werent put in a straightjacket, you know?
JM:Except me when I really got on his nerves.
I was just wondering, is that idea of distrust what attracts you to a lot of these roles?
You know that Superman is gonna be able to do it.
Hes not even a real person.
Liam, I was wondering if you could talk about playing a darker, more troubled character.
This one seems to be a little bit less in charge than the other action roles youve played before.
LN:A little less in charge, I guess, yes.
Hes not in charge because hes an alcoholic, hes an addict; thats always in charge.
So his big battle is he thinks hes just doing a six and a half-hour flight.
Thats his goal is to do that without having alcohol, of course.
All shit breaks loose.
So I like those little human touches, you know?
And what kind of traveler are you guys?
Are you okay with people coming up to you while youre flying?
JM:Well, Liam had a lot to do with that, honestly, and Joel Silver.
I was talking to some people the other day aboutAssassins.
If Ive done something really serious, I like to do a comedy.
I like genre, I like movies, I like to accrue experience, so thats really been it.
And I dont really plan things.
In our business, you really cant.
LN:Do you mean like a fear of flying and stuff?
No, more like when people walk up to you in the airport.
LN:I just say f*ck off.
[Laughs] Especially when its kids.
Especially when they ask me to sign aStar Warsphotograph, some little seven-year-old.
Im joking, of course.
I dont get hassled too much.
I dont know if you do, Jules.
JM:People are really nice, honestly.
Sometimes I really do talk to people and have a nice conversation.
I do talk to women with childrena lotbecause, you know, you feel for them.
A lot of the characters were stereotypical.
He plays with all that.
You really dont know who somebody is.
Like us onFacebookand follow us onTwitterfor all news updates related to the world of geek.
AndGoogle+, if thats your thing!
