Liam Neeson reveals he was offered the chance to play James Bond in the 1990s

Liam Neeson almost parlayed his Oscar-nominated performance in Schindler’s List to play 007, though it would have come at the expense of his future wife, Natasha Richardson.

Several months before Schindler’s List hit theaters in December 1993, she met Richardson while they were both starring in the Broadway revival of Anna Christie, which opened in January 1993, and the couple married in July 1994.

The 70-year-old actor, who recently admitted he was “uncomfortable” during an awkward interview on The View, was married to Richardson until his tragic death in 2009 following a skiing accident, though Neeson revealed to Rolling Stone that she would never have married if he had played James Bond.

Neeson revealed that he had known James Bond producers Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli, his daughter Barbara Broccoli and his half-brother Michael G. Wilson for some time, and they contacted him after Schinder’s List came out to gauge his interest in playing 007. .

I know broccoli. They looked at a group of actors. Schindler’s List had come out and Barbara [Broccoli] he had called me a couple of times to ask if I was interested and I said, “Yeah, I’d be interested,” Neeson began.

Never: The 70-year-old actor, who recently admitted he was “uncomfortable” during an awkward interview on The View, was married to Richardson until his tragic death in 2009 following a skiing accident, though Neeson revealed to Rolling Stone that she He would never have married if he had played James Bond

‘And then my lovely wife [Natasha Richardson]God rest his soul, he told me while we were filming Nell in the Carolinas: “Liam, I want to tell you something: if you play James Bond, we’re not getting married,” he revealed.

While he never followed through and took on the role, he admitted that “I was behind his back, making my fingers look like I was holding a gun, and [humming the James Bond theme]’ she joked, adding: ‘I loved doing that!’

He gave me a James Bond ultimatum. And he was serious! Neeson went on to add why he thought she didn’t want him to take on the role.

‘Come on, there are all these beautiful girls in various countries getting into bed and getting out of bed. I’m sure a lot of your decision making was based on that! Neeson admitted.

The Broccoli family ultimately cast Pierce Brosnan as their new 007, with his first film Goldeneye debuting in 1995, the same year Cubby handed over Eon Productions and control of the James Bond franchise to Barbara and Michael, who still control the franchise. to this day. .

Brosnan made four James Bond films: Goldeneye, 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies with Michelle Yeoh and Jonathan Pryce, 1999’s The World Is Not Enough starring Denise Richards and Robert Carlyle, and 2002’s Die Another Day starring Halle Berry and Toby Stephens.

It wouldn’t take long for Neeson to find a massive franchise as James Bond, playing Jedi Knight Qui-Gonn Jinn in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

While his character was killed off by the villain Darth Maul (Ray Park) in the first installment of the prequel trilogy, he returned as a “force ghost” and his voice is often heard in the subsequent films.

No Bond: ‘And then my lovely wife [Natasha Richardson]God rest his soul, he told me while we were filming Nell in the Carolinas: “Liam, I want to tell you something: if you play James Bond, we’re not getting married,” he revealed.

New Bond: The Broccoli family ultimately cast Pierce Brosnan as their new 007, with his first film Goldeneye debuting in 1995, the same year Cubby handed over Eon Productions and control of the James Bond franchise to Barbara and Michael, who still They control the franchise. for this day

Four Bond Films: Brosnan made four James Bond films: Goldeneye, 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies with Michelle Yeoh and Jonathan Pryce, 1999’s The World Is Not Enough starring Denise Richards and Robert Carlyle, and 2002’s Die Another Day starring Halle Berry and Toby Stephens.

While his co-star Ewan McGregor recently reprized his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi on the Disney Plus series of the same name, Neeson has no interest in returning to the galaxy far, far away.

“No, I’m not,” Neeson said last week on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, when asked if he would return to the franchise.

There are so many Star Wars spin-offs. It’s watering it down for me, and it’s taken the mystery and the magic out of me in a weird way,” he added.

Neeson’s career received another jolt with 2009’s Taken, which led to several sequels and revived his career as an action star.

His new movie, Marlowe, based on the iconic detective character created by Raymond Chandler, opened in theaters last week and takes place in 1930s San Francisco.

He also has two more movies scheduled for release in 2023, Retribution with Jack Champion and Matthew Modine, and In the Land of Saints and Sinners with Kerry Condon and Ciaran Hinds.

The actor also has In the Land of Saints and Sinners due out this year, starring opposite Kerry Condon and Ciaran Hinds.

Neeson also has Thug in post-production with Ron Perlman and is gearing up to star in a remake of The Naked Gun.

No return: “No, I’m not,” Neeson said last week on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, when asked if he would return to the franchise.

Coming Soon: The actor also has In the Land of Saints and Sinners due out this year, starring opposite Kerry Condon and Ciaran Hinds.