Actor Liam Neeson's newest skill set? Making you giggle with The Naked Gun reboot
NEW YORK – There is a line from Welsh thespian Anthony Hopkins that Northern Irish actor Liam Neeson likes to share. Any time Neeson asks him how he is doing, Hopkins tells him: 'Great. I haven't been found out yet.'
At 73, Neeson feels like he has not been found out yet either.
Once dubbed the heir apparent to late Scottish movie star Sean Connery's sweeping romantic grandeur, Neeson, with his broad trajectory and catalogue of more than 100 Hollywood films, is arguably as interesting as any actor today.
He can claim awards bait with Schindler's List (1993) and Michael Collins (1996); franchise blockbusters with Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) and Batman Begins (2005); and fan favourites with Love Actually (2003) and The Lego Movie (2014).
And that is before you consider the long list of action film a**-kickers this Oscar- and Tony-nominated star has played, which established his identity for a generation of fans.
That is largely thanks to the surprising success of the Taken franchise (2008 to 2014), built around Neeson as a father with a very particular set of skills, who will find you and kill you if you kidnap his daughter.
It has been a career that has kept him and his viewers guessing what might come next.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore 'She had a whole life ahead of her': Boyfriend mourns Yishun fatal crash victim
World Israel to decide next steps in Gaza after ceasefire talks collapse
Singapore Singapore-made bot matchmakes strangers virtually – without profile photos
Life Urinary issues: Enlarged prostate affects half of men in their 50s and up
Singapore Jail for man over scheme to buy phones worth more than $45k with stolen credit card details
Singapore Conditional warning for ex-manager at Mendaki accused of trying to obtain laptop as bribe
'I'm honestly not trying to change,' he said of all the changes . 'It wasn't deliberate, but there's been a lot of this for me.'
If you have not figured out why you cannot escape his face lately, it is part of his next change: He is starring in The Naked Gun, the reboot of the crime-spoof comedy franchise from the 1980s and 1990s.
Opening in Singapore cinemas on Aug 7, the film will serve as a test for whether Neeson's brand of straight-man intensity can translate to the level of laughs produced by late Canadian actor Leslie Nielsen, his predecessor in the trilogy.
Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr – son of Nielsen's character Frank Drebin – who leads the LAPD Police Squad and saves the world in the 2025 version. It also stars Canadian-American actress Pamela Anderson and American actor Paul Walter Hauser .
Liam Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr in The Naked Gun.
PHOTO: UIP
Neeson's turn in The Naked Gun is arguably his biggest leap back into the mainstream. But in a summer of blockbusters dominated by superheroes and dinosaurs, are audiences ready to laugh with him?
He admits: 'I don't think of myself as funny-funny, but I love laughing and gagging about.'
And can one of Hollywood's most malleable talents resurrect the notion that there can be a successful theatrical comedy?
'Without getting into politics and stuff, we're all living in a culture, a society where we're scared to speak and scared if we don't. That's what I feel. And we need the Dave Chappelles, the Ricky Gervaises, the Robin Williamses to make fun,' Neeson said, referring to the comedians . 'That's why they have gargoyles in cathedrals, to remind us, 'Come on, don't take yourself too seriously.'
'The film is a giggle, and we need that, I think.'
He also knows there is an expiration date on his action career as the guy who will inevitably monologue you before ending you.
' There comes a point where audiences know, and I don't want to insult an audience by me pretending I'm 50 years of age . I don't want to do that ,' Neeson said. 'I have too much respect for audiences.'
It is why he had been thinking about doing some comedy.
Liam Neeson in New York on July 15. The 73-year-old actor stars in the reboot of The Naked Gun as he reboots his career by venturing into slapstick comedy.
PHOTO: GEORDIE WOOD/NYTIMES
There is a particular scene in The Naked Gun involving Neeson, Anderson and a snowman that feels like a horny, wintry acid trip come to life. Nothing more can be said without spoiling it, but Neeson had his doubts about what they were about to do and whether it was too zany.
'I thought, 'This is not going to work', but what do I know?' he said of the scene that got the biggest laughs during a recent preview screening. 'But I still didn't know at the end of each day if I was delivering. Was I trying too much to be funny?'
It was admittedly a wild idea for American producer Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, 1999 to present; the Ted comedies, 2012 and 2015) and American director Akiva Schaffer (The Watch, 2012; Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, 2016) to ask Neeson to lead the revival of a decades-dormant comedy franchise.
Yet, the duo had their reasons after Neeson had done some voicework as himself on Family Guy, made a cameo in Ted 2 and played the villain in A Million Ways To Die In The West (2014) – all helmed by MacFarlane.
His appearance in the Gervais/Stephen Merchant miniseries Life's Too Short (2011 to 2013), in particular, planted the seed for how his intensity could be hilarious with the right writing.
Neeson remembers British comedian Gervais cracking up during takes, but he was still sceptical . 'It didn't make me think, 'I'm a comedian',' he said.
He loved Nielsen's straight-man performance in Airplane! (1980) and the previous Naked Gun film, but says he stayed away from them entirely in preparing to leap into comedy.
Liam Neeson at The Naked Gun premiere in New York City on July 28.
PHOTO: AFP
To this day, Neeson still does not like to watch himself. He saw a cut of the film a few weeks ago and enjoyed some of the scenes, even if he still does not know how they will play in front of an audience.
Asked what he thinks of his own performance, he is harsher on himself, contorting his face into a half-grimace. 'I thought I was okay, seriously,' he said.
Then, in that voice and with that deadpan look, he turns his head and asks a question of his own. 'Did you get a couple of giggles?'
And again, Neeson made me laugh. NYTIMES
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
40 minutes ago
- Straits Times
South Korean prosecutors question ex-first lady accused of graft
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee is accused of colluding with traders to inflate the share price of a company between 2009 and 2012. SEOUL - South Korean prosecutors questioned former first lady Kim Keon Hee on Aug 6 over a litany of allegations, including stock manipulation and bribery. The questioning comes as her husband, former president Yoon Suk Yeol, remains in detention over his declaration of martial law in December, which briefly suspended civilian rule before being overturned by parliament. Prosecutors are expected to seek an arrest warrant for Kim following the interrogation on Aug 6, which they said began shortly after 10am local time (9am Singapore time). If granted, the warrant would mark the first time in South Korean history that a former president and first lady were both arrested. Kim is accused of colluding with traders to inflate the share price of a company between 2009 and 2012. She also allegedly accepted luxury gifts, including a US$2,200 (S$2830) designer handbag, in violation of anti-graft laws. 'I sincerely apologise for causing trouble despite being a person of no importance. I will cooperate fully with the investigation,' Kim said before entering the special prosecutor's office in Seoul. Kim's questioning drew significant media attention, with local journalists following the vehicle she was in as it made its way to the prosecutors' office on Aug 6. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Morning commute disrupted as delays on East-West MRT Line persist after more than 3 hours Singapore Hidden vapes and where to find them: Inside ICA's clampdown at land checkpoints Singapore Sorting recyclables by material could boost low domestic recycling rate: Observers Singapore SM Lee receives Australia's highest civilian honour for advancing bilateral ties Asia Trump's sharp India criticism corners Modi as rift deepens Singapore More train rides taken in first half-year, but overall public transport use stays below 2019 levels Singapore BlueSG needs time to develop software, refresh fleet, say ex-insiders after winding-down news Asia Cambodia-Thailand border clash a setback for Asean: Vivian Balakrishnan Supporters of Kim and Yoon gathered outside the office, waving national flags and holding signs that read 'Investigators must be fair'. Controversy has long surrounded the 52-year-old with lingering questions about her alleged role in stock manipulation. A video filmed in 2022 showing her accepting a Dior handbag from a self-proclaimed fan reignited public criticism. She is also accused of interfering in the nomination process for MPs in Yoon's party, in violation of election laws. Yoon, as president, vetoed three special investigation bills passed by the opposition-controlled parliament that sought to probe the allegations against Kim, with the last veto issued in late November. A week later, Yoon declared martial law . He had claimed the bills were 'political propaganda'. Yoon, a former top prosecutor, was impeached and removed from office in April over his martial law declaration, prompting the country to hold a snap election in June. AFP
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Meta says working to thwart WhatsApp scammers
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Often run by organised gangs, the scams range from bogus cryptocurrency investments to get-rich-quick pyramid schemes. SAN FRANCISCO, United States - Meta on Aug 5 said it shut nearly seven million WhatsApp accounts linked to scammers in the first half of this year and is ramping up safeguards against such schemes. 'Our team identified the accounts and disabled them before the criminal organisations that created them could use them,' WhatsApp external affairs director Clair Deevy said. Often run by organised gangs, the scams range from bogus cryptocurrency investments to get-rich-quick pyramid schemes, WhatsApp executives said in a briefing. 'There is always a catch and it should be a red flag for everyone: you have to pay upfront to get promised returns or earnings,' Meta-owned WhatsApp said in a blog post. WhatsApp detected and banned more than 6.8 million accounts linked to scam centers, most of them in South-east Asia , according to Meta. WhatsApp and Meta worked with OpenAI to disrupt a scam traced to Cambodia that used ChatGPT to generate text messages containing a link to a WhatsApp chat to hook victims, according to the tech firms. Meta on Aug 5 began prompting WhatsApp users to be wary when added to unfamiliar chat groups by people they do not know. New 'safety overviews' provide information about the group and tips on spotting scams, along with the option of making a quick exit. 'We've all been there: someone you don't know attempting to message you, or add you to a group chat, promising low-risk investment opportunities or easy money, or saying you have an unpaid bill that's overdue,' Meta said in a blog post. 'The reality is, these are often scammers trying to prey on people's kindness, trust and willingness to help – or, their fears that they could be in trouble if they don't send money fast.' AFP
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
US companies spending record amounts to protect executives as threats rise
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox US companies are spending record amounts to keep their executives safe in response to rising threats and the killings of two high-profile corporate officials in separate attacks in Manhattan over the last eight months. Corporations have doubled the number of plain-clothed security teams outside buildings in New York City since a shooting last week in which four people were killed, said Mr Glen Kucera, president of the enhanced protection services unit at Allied Universal, a security and facilities services firm. 'It's unspeakable. I never knew anyone who was murdered,' said Mr Rich Friedman, chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, who previously worked with one of the victims, Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner. Her death shook Wall Street, even though authorities believe her killing was a random event. Police said the shooter was targeting the headquarters of the National Football League, which is housed in the same building in the Midtown area of Manhattan where LePatner worked. The shooter also killed a New York City police officer , building security guard and employee at real estate company Rudin before turning the gun on himself. The attack was 'shocking and hits very close to home,' Citigroup spokesperson Ed Skyler said in a note to employees a day after the July 28 killings in Midtown. 'Understandably, yesterday has also left many of us feeling uneasy,' he said, assuring employees that the bank has beefed up security at its Manhattan headquarters over the last year. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 25-minute delay on East-West MRT Line between Boon Lay and Buona Vista due to track point fault Singapore Finding hidden vapes: Inside ICA's mission to uncover contraband at land checkpoints Singapore Sorting recyclables by material could boost low domestic recycling rate: Observers Singapore SM Lee receives Australia's highest civilian honour for advancing bilateral ties Asia Trump's sharp India criticism on tariffs, Russia oil corner Modi as rift deepens Singapore More train rides taken in first half-year, but overall public transport use stays below 2019 levels Singapore BlueSG needs time to develop software, refresh fleet, say ex-insiders after winding-down news Asia Cambodia-Thailand border clash a setback for Asean: Vivian Balakrishnan Threats against executives 'have massively ramped up since 2020,' said Mr Chris Pierson, the CEO of cybersecurity firm BlackCloak. He noted how the man charged with murdering a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband near Minneapolis in June allegedly kept a target list of mostly other politicians and used online people-search services to find their addresses. Mr Ben Joelson, head of security risk and resilience for the Chertoff Group, a security advisory firm, said threats against executives are higher than at any time in the decade he has worked in the field, with social media posts magnifying complaints against institutional leaders. Artificial intelligence is compounding the problem, leading to an 'exponential rise' in realistic phishing attempts, Mr Joelson was cited as saying in a report by research firm Equilar. When UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot to death in New York in December, it seemed to be a very rare 'black swan event,' Mr Joelson told Reuters in an interview. But targeted attacks have continued, including the killings in Minnesota and the shooting deaths of two employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington in May. 'It's increasingly acceptable for some bad actors or adversaries to address grievances through violence,' which has led many companies to put a new focus on security, Mr Joelson said. Mr Matthew Dumpert, global leader of enterprise security risk management at financial and risk advisory firm Kroll, said a lot of existing and new clients reached out last week following the deadly attack in Midtown. 'Several of the outreaches directly to me have been by the executive committees... whoever owns risk. It's chief legal officers, admin officers, compliance officers, security officers,' Mr Dumpert said. He added that several clients that had emergency response projects slated to start later in 2025 have asked him to 'put those on the front burner. Start immediately, and let's move forward.' 'Trend is unsurprising' Median spending on executive security for top officers including chief executives, chief financial officers and others rose 16 per cent to a record US$106,530 (S$137,000) in 2024, according to new data from Equilar, which reviewed financial filings for the 500 largest US public companies by revenue. Security spending includes surveillance and alarm systems for executives' homes, personal guards and cybersecurity protections. Equilar analysts said the trend is likely to continue as firms grapple with the growing threats to their executives and employees. The percentage of executives at those companies with such protection rose to 33.8 per cent from 23.3 per cent over the 2020-2024 period, Equilar said. Nearly a third of CEOs in the group, 32.4 per cent, received security services in 2024, up from 21.9 per cent in 2020; the value of those CEOs' security perks reached a median US$77,976 in 2024, up from US$40,052 in 2020. Tech companies had the biggest growth in implementing security measures for executives, with a 73.5 per cent jump in those receiving the benefits from 2020 to 2024, but communications companies spent the most, at a median value of US$1.2 million a year, Equilar found. Blue-chip companies such as Walmart, General Motors, American Express, and chipmaker Broadcom, previously disclosed new or increased security expenses from previous years following Mr Thompson's killing. 'The trend is unsurprising considering the broader concerns about executive safety amid geopolitical instability, increasing cyber threats and the high public visibility of top leadership roles,' Equilar said in its report. REUTERS
