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Liam Neeson Makes Shock Confession About his Most ‘Corny’ Movie Scene
Liam Neeson has had a long and impressive career in Hollywood, spanning several decades and a variety of roles. From his Academy Award-nominated performance in Schindler’s List to his turn as Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Neeson has repeatedly proven that he has some serious acting chops. But let’s be real; it’s his role in 2008’s Taken that really set him apart from the pack.
To this day, the film boasts one of the most iconic scenes in the genre, which has been memed and parodied more times than we can count.. But here’s the thing – as it turns out, Liam Neeson himself wasn’t a fan of that scene. That’s right, the man who delivered the now-infamous “particular set of skills” speech recently admitted that he wasn’t fond of his own performance.
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Image: Han Myung Gu/Wire Image
In the film, Neeson plays Bryan Mills, a former CIA operative who goes on a rampage to rescue his daughter after she’s kidnapped by human traffickers. The movie was an instant crowd-pleaser, raking in over $226 million at the box office and cementing him as a bona fide action star. It’s no surprise, then, that Neeson has spent the past decade or so churning out one action movie after another. From the (less than average) Taken sequels to The Commuter, Non-Stop, and countless others, he’s become the go-to guy for blokes looking for a fun, mindless flick to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
But despite his success in the genre, Neeson has repeatedly said he’s ready to move on. In 2017, he announced that he would no longer be making action movies, citing his age and a desire to “do different things.” Of course, that didn’t stop him from signing on to star in Hard Powder, a revenge thriller about a snowplough driver who takes on a drug cartel. Hey, we all have our weaknesses.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Neeson reflected on his time in the action movie world, admitting that he never thought Taken would be a hit. “I certainly did sound scary, but I thought it was corny,” he said, referring to the film’s iconic “particular set of skills” phone call scene. “It was a cornball. I really did feel that. It’s nice to be proven wrong.”
Perhaps this demonstrates that artists truly struggle to evaluate their own work objectively.
Ever since he starred in Taken in 2008, his career took a sharp turn towards the “cheesy action movie” lane. It’s like he signed up to play roles in movies that are tailor-made for those days where you don’t want to think or leave your couch. You know, the ones that pair nicely with a hangover and deep-fried food. This included flicks like The A-Team, and The Grey, – a film where he went all UFC with a pack of hungry snow dogs.
It’s like he knows that we need some mindless entertainment to escape the stresses of our lives. So, he swoops in with his gravelly voice and his “particular set of skills” to save the day. And we love him for it.
Sam Mangioni
Sam Mangioni is an experienced Staff Writer with an extensive background in digital content production and news. Prior to working for Man of Many, Sam spent three years at Southern Cross Austereo where he served as a Content Producer and News Reporter for the flagship Triple M Breakfast Program. The Sydney-based reporter completed a Bachelor of Commerce from Macquarie University Majoring in Marketing in 2014. A specialist in sport, lifestyle and gear coverage, Sam's work has also featured in Fight News Australia.
