72-Year-Old Liam Neeson Is Officially Retiring From Action Movies

Liam Neeson thinks it is time to drop action movie roles for good after making them his signature part for a few decades. The 72-year-old went all in on the genre at 56, after 2008’s Taken, which opened doors to more similar gigs.

Before the late 2000s, Liam starred in multiple drama films like Schindler’s List, Nell, Rob Roy, and Les Misérables in the ‘90s, and a few more like Gangs of New York in the early 2000s. He also did a bit of Broadway, earning a Tony nomination for his debut in Agatha Christie.

Why is Liam Neeson dropping action movies?

Over the years, Liam has worked hand-in-hand with his stunt double, Mark Vanselow, who makes the extreme moves while Liam handles fight scenes himself. At 72, Liam thinks using a stunt double is played out, and fans cannot be fooled anymore, hence his need to retire.

He also does not want old age to catch up on him, such that Mark takes over everything, including his usual fight scenes. Liam is not retiring immediately but is considering the end of 2025 to leave the action scene.

Still working

Liam is still very much in business as he just finished filming the cop comedy movie The Naked Gun. He plays officer Frank Drebin Jr. in the humorous revival, however, he is not certain about the longevity of this gig. Being a contrast from his usual type of role, Liam said he was excited to star in the movie because he had been seeking a silly character to play.

Aside from acting, Liam is loud about his stand on social and political matters, having called for gun control in the United States and legal abortion in Ireland– for which he received backlash due to his Catholic faith. With the US presidential elections currently in motion, it is worth noting that Liam once called out Donald Trump, asking him to take accountability for previous misdemeanors.