Liam Neeson says he's ‘madly in love' with co-star Pamela Anderson after filming sex scenes
He is the 73-year-old Oscar-nominated star of Schindler's List from Northern Ireland, while she is the 58-year-old former Baywatch babe synonymous with Hollywood glamour.
But having made a reboot of The Naked Gun movies together in recent months, Neeson boldly declared of Anderson, 'I'm madly in love with her.'
During their promotion of the comedy — which first hit screens in 1988, starring Leslie Nielsen — the actress took snaps of the smartly suited actor's crotch, while he pretended to photograph her as she giggled on the floor, The Sun reports.
The off-screen chemistry went further with Neeson planting a gentle kiss on the side of Anderson's head as he held her waist.
Neeson also joked that his favourite part of making The Naked Gun, which opens on August 1, was 'the sex scenes', which the pair were given an intimacy co-ordinator for.
'I'd never had one [an intimacy co-ordinator] before. But she was in the background. There was no kind of, 'OK! Excuse me!'' Neeson said.
Anderson chimed in that the co-ordinator knew when to walk away and joked that she stormed off, with Neeson claiming she threw her hands up in the air and said, 'I can't take this! This is too hot for me. I'm going for coffee'.
It's not clear whether this outrageous flirting between the pair is to help promote their film.
But five-times married former Playboy model has made it plain she is not intending to turn Neeson into husband number five.
'I think I have a friend for ever in Liam and we definitely have a connection that is very sincere, very loving, and he's a good guy,' she said.
'He really is a silly guy. He acts like a silly little boy sometimes.'
However much they admire each other though, Neeson admitted to never having seen Baywatch, explaining: 'It wasn't my thing.'
But after Neeson watched her Golden Globe-nominated performance in this year's The Last Showgirl, he was impressed, saying: 'She was real. She was funny. Incredibly sexy.'
The connection is clear to see, which perhaps is not so surprising as they both have suffered personal heartache.
The Irish actor had been married to actress Natasha Richardson for 15 years when she died in a skiing accident in 2009 aged just 45.
Neeson, who was left to raise their two sons, Micheal, now 30, and Daniel, 28, alone, struggled to believe she was really gone.
While Anderson has told how she was sexually abused in her childhood.
She also contracted hepatitis C after sharing a tattoo needle with first husband Tommy Lee.
They divorced in 1998 and he was later jailed for assaulting her.
Both Neeson and Anderson, who first rose to prominence in the 1990s, saw their high-profile careers implode.
A string of box-office flops led Anderson to conclude her Hollywood career was over and to relocate back home to Vancouver Island in Canada around 2020.
In 2019, Neeson was shunned after revealing that in his youth he had wanted to kill a random black man in revenge for a rape of someone he knew.
Having expressed his apologies, the actor is now back in demand, with scripts rolling in.
Anderson is enjoying the most fruitful period in her acting career, earning her Golden Globe nomination for her brilliant performance in The Last Showgirl.
Perhaps their humble beginnings gave them the strength to claw their way back.
Anderson's dad Barry was a furnace repairman and mum Carol was a waitress, while Neeson's dad Barney was a school caretaker and mum Kitty was a cook.
There are other things the pair have in common.
They both like to garden, read every night before going to bed early and dote on their new puppies.
Neither, though, would have been the first names to spring to mind if you were remaking The Naked Gun.
Leslie Nielsen, who died in 2010 at the age of 84, was always going to be an incredibly tough act to follow.
His deadpan performances in Airplane! in 1980 and The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad! in 1988 transformed them into much-loved movies.
Neeson has made his name as a tough guy in the Taken films and had only made one comedy before.
He was surprised to be offered the role by producer Seth MacFarlane, the mastermind behind Ted and Family Guy.
'I didn't think I was funny, far from it. But I really enjoyed those Leslie Nielsen movies,' Neeson said.
'When Seth pitched the idea, I thought maybe he saw something in me.'
Anderson has done comedy, such as Blonde And Blonder in 2008, but had recently become more famous for her animal rights activism than acting.
When Neeson saw her audition tape he felt certain she was the right person to take over from Priscilla Presley as The Naked Gun sidekick.
'It was a no-brainer,' he said.
And once they got on set, that appreciation grew.
'She's just terrific to work with. I can't compliment her enough,' he said.
'No huge ego. She just comes in to do the work. She's funny and so easy to work with. She's going to be terrific in the film.'
Anderson is equally complimentary about her 6ft 4in co-star.
'He brings out the best in you with respect, kindness and depth of experience. It was an absolute honour to work with him,' she added.
Anderson, who has two sons, Brandon, 29, and Dylan, 27, with her ex-husband Tommy Lee, said Neeson was 'the perfect gentleman' who 'wrapped his coat around me when I was cold'.
Fans will get the chance to see how strong their chemistry is when the movie comes out in less than two weeks.
If it is a hit, a sequel to this remake is sure to follow.
Anderson has already confirmed she would be up for another Naked Gun if Neeson is.
Talking about her co-star, she said, 'I'll follow him anywhere.'
Cupid might just be listening.
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