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The actor had previously tended to appear strictly in dramatic roles
A beloved action film that changed a Hollywood star’s career is airing on TV tonight Tuesday (April 8) for free across the UK.
Liam Neeson has had a career that few could dream of, receiving nominations for an Academy Award, BAFTA and three Golden Globes.
Making his film debut in 1978’s Pilgrim’s Progress the Irish actor would become a household name in 1993 for his work in Steven Spielberg’s Holocaust drama Schindler’s List.
Finally becoming a respected leading man, Neeson would experience a 90s that saw him star in Nell, Rob Roy, Michael Collins and Les Misérables.
In the 2000s, the actor began appearing in many blockbuster films, including Star Wars – The Phantom Menace, Batman Begins and The Chronicles of Narnia.
Despite continuing to work with auteurs like Martin Scorsese in Gangs of New York and display his charm in Love Actually, Neeson’s career changed forever in 2008.
For those who haven’t seen it, Taken sees Neeson playing an ex-CIA officer, who sets out to track down his teenage daughter Kim and her best friend after they are kidnapped by Albanian human traffickers while on vacation in France.
Despite being 59 at the time of its release, Neeson showed that he was an action star waiting to be given a platform to show off his chops.
Most known for its iconic scene where Neeson vows to kill the kidnappers in a phone call, Taken quickly became one of the actor’s most popular films.
Outside of Neeson displaying a side to him that viewers never saw before, Taken features Maggie Grace, Leland Orser, Jon Gries, David Warshofsky, Katie Cassidy, Holly Valance and Famke Janssen.
Costing just $25 million to make, Taken pulled in a staggering $226.8 million at the worldwide box office and generated two sequels.
On top of this, Neewson want on to appear in action films such as The A-Team, The Grey, Wrath of the Titans, A Walk Among the Tombstones and Cold Pursuit.
Neeson even found a new friend in the form of director Jaume Collet-Serra, working with him on Unknown, Non-Stop, Run All Night and The Commuter.
Sadly for fans who prefer Neeson in action mode, he confirmed late last year that he is planning on stopping making these kinds of movies soon.
He told People: “It just seemed to have touched something in the psychic nerve of moviegoing audiences. It has to stop at some stage.
“You can’t fool audiences. I don’t want Mark Vanselow (a director) to be fighting my fight scenes for me.”
Fans will next see Neeson showcasing his comedic skills, when Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane’s Naked Gun reboot hits the big screen this summer.
Taken airs on Tuesday, April 8, on Film and channel4.com at 9pm
Published: 2025-04-08 04:00:00 | Author: [email protected] (Liam De Brun) | Source: MEN – News
Link: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Tags: #beloved #action #film #changed #Hollywood #stars #career #airing #tonight
