08-07-2025
Liam Neeson recalls his embarrassing audition to play the giant Fezzik in 'The Princess Bride'
Liam Neeson is known around the world for his starring role in the Taken franchise, and for playing Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, and as Bruce Wayne's mentor/nemesis, Ra's al Ghul/Henri Ducard, in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises, and for his Oscar-nominated performance in Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List.
But one movie you won't see him in: The Princess Bride.
It's not for lack of trying, though. In Entertainment Weekly's Fact Checked video series (above), the Irish actor confirms that his audition for the 1987 classic is his most embarrassing acting moment.
Neeson was auditioning to play the giant, Fezzik. Neeson, who stands 6-foot-4, says director Rob Reiner had a "look of disgust" on his face when he realized the actor's height.
"It's very true," he tells his Naked Gun costar, Pamela Anderson, in the video. "He turned to the casting director and said, 'I asked for a giant.'... No 'Hello,' 'Thanks for coming.' Nothing like that."
As disappointed as Neeson may have been, he says he was actually more embarrassed for the casting director.
"I felt bad for her," he adds. "I really did."
Reiner did end up getting his giant, in the form of 7-foot-4 professional wrestler André the Neeson broke into acting, racking up a résumé with more than 100 credits, he had some odd jobs, including being a forklift driver for beer company Guinness,
"The best job I ever had, including acting," he says. "I'm semi-joking, but yeah, I loved the job. Driving, being in control of all these pallets of Guinness and stacking them, loading [semis] that were going out to various pubs in Northern Ireland."
Neeson and Anderson, who are featured on EW's latest cover for their reboot of The Naked Gun (in theaters Aug. 1), check facts about their lives — or dispel rumors — in the video above: Anderson confirms whether she has run the New York City Marathon and details how she was discovered at a Vancouver football game, and Neeson also reveals how his Taken movies impacted international travel.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
