Well, until now.
So, it gives me great pleasure to share our time with him.
Yep, its number one, which is terrific.
Really terrific and Im so chuffed.
What was it that drew you to the project to begin with?
I did and I thought, Wow, this is really.
A really good psychological thriller and I get to do some physical stuff again, which I love doing.
So, he set it up pretty quickly.
This time last year we shot it and in a very, very cold Berlin.
In fact, it was the coldest in twenty years, apparently.
And I was the only one in the movie theatre and it really scared me.
[laughs] I thought it was fantastic!
Its always worse when youre watching a horror film by yourself in the cinema as well!
Oh, my gosh, I know!
I just was very impressed with his detail and by how he unravelled the story.
Yes, it was.
Hes a quiet thoughtful guy, Jaume.
But his passion for cinema was really, really evident, and for the story too.
You mentioned the physical aspect of the role.
Do you have a preference?
Or is it just nice to have all of those elements in one film?
Olivier Schneider, who choreographed all the fights inTaken, hes a wonderful Parisian and a very dear friend.
So, I got him on board to choreograph the fights.
So, it was great to have your guys, your team, you know?
And also you had your former brother in arms fromMichael Collins, Aidan Quinn.
Yeah, Aidan, yeah.
Was that a coincidence, or did you get asked for a suggestion?
I said, Well, who have you got in mind?
and they mentioned various actors and I said, Well what about Aidan Quinn?
And Joel Silver started roaring at one of his staff, saying, What did I say!
[growls] WHAT DID I SAY!
I said Aidan Quinn, get the script to him right now!
So, it worked out really, really well and Aidan was on the next flight in.
And I was thrilled, because, again, hes a very dear friend.
Sometimes the ridiculousness of filmmaking kind of gets to you.
The brilliance of it too, but sometimes you find yourself in ridiculous situations.
Well, a thrillers a thriller.
Theres a Hitchcockian element in there as well, I think.
Absolutely, and you had the James Stewart kind of character.
Right, right, and you know theres the classic blonde iceberg of a woman that January Jones plays.
I know that a lot is being made of your current action roles.
Is it strange that people are reacting to them as a new part of your career?
It feels a bit weird, yeah, with people saying its new.
But I guess to really pigeonhole it, I hadnt really done this genre of action film beforeTaken.
And people are thinking, Oh, its a new discovery at the age of fifty-eight.
Im a new action hero.
I mean, I dont see myself as that.
Theyre just really good stories and they happen to be in that action genre.
So, Ive maybe two or three left in me before my knees give way!
[laughs]
I guess, if they can come up with a good story.
But one thing Im sure is that I cant go into an amnesia story again.
That couldnt be repeated.
But yeah, if the scripts good enough, Id be totally comfortable with that, absolutely.
Youve seemingly got a lot of projects on the go.
I think youve just finished onBattleshipand youre currently filmingThe Grey,arent you?
So, Ive got a weeks filming of that still to do in Vancouver, here in Canada.
And before that Ive got oh no, no.
So, well have to squeeze that in somewhere first!
So, theres an awful lot to come!
Im on a bit of a roll.
But Im a big believer in making hay while the sun shines.
But my nephews have grown up with the new films and its of equal importance to them.
Was it strange to go back to Qui-Gon Jinn after several years?
It was kind of a nice.
It was a little bit strange, and yet it wasnt strange at the same time, you know?
So, he lent his voice, and I thought, Well, thats very fair.
I dont want anybody else playing Qui-Gon Jinn.
Definitely, and I think that your character inThe Phantom Menacewas the heart and soul of that piece.
I know I keep asking about future movies, butThe A-TeamI thoroughly enjoyed as well.
Oh, good, good.
Yeah, I thought it was a really good movie, you know?
We were very, very connected, yeah.
And we all were very fond of each other.
And do you think there will be a chance to make another one?
Well, theres nothing planned at the minute, but the studios certainly arent saying no.
I personally would love to get on the horse again, you know?
With Bradley and Sharlto and Rampage we all would.
But with the studios and the studio system, its a question of dollars and cents.
Oh yeah, yeah.
[chuckles] Sam Raimi!
Do you have fond memories of filming that, or do have any other favourites from your early career?
Um, well, let me think.
Yeah, there was two or three.
Peter passed away in January.
Let me think, I guess, yeah,Darkmanwas a lot of fun.
And trying to push a performance through that I imagine was tough?
Darkmanwas kind of the instigator of this current crop of films, withSpider-Manand all that sort of thing.
Thank you, Liam Neeson, for taking the time out to talk to us!
Unknown is out this Friday, March 4th.
