An ultimatum from his then-girlfriend led to Liam Neeson “turning down James Bond.”
The Academy Award-nominated star has featured in more than his fair share of action movies, from the Taken trilogy to superhero features like Darkman and Batman Begins. Despite his illustrious career and Oscar nod for Schindler’s List, Neeson could have bagged himself the role of secret agent James Bond had his then-girlfriend, Natasha Richardson, not intervened. Neeson confirmed he had been considering the role in the early 1990s, but was given an ultimatum by Richardson. The veteran performer, now 73, shared that he decided to turn down the role after Richardson intervened. She was wary of a role Neeson described as “gorgeous girls in various countries getting in and out of [Bond’s] bed.”
As a result, Neeson was told he could either take the role or take his leave of Richardson. The Marlowe star would go on to turn down the role and instead marry Richardson in 1994. The role of Bond would go to Pierce Brosnan, who starred in Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, and Die Another Day.
Neeson would later share his thoughts on taking on so many action film roles, and confirmed he was not performing his own stunts. He told The Times: “I’ll call up my agent and say, ‘Do they know what age I am?’
“People say I do my own stunts. I do not. But look, the dollar amount is very pleasing. And I’m not getting any younger.” It’s not the first time a star linked with James Bond has turned down a role which could have gotten them acclaim beyond what they already have. Sean Connery would famously turn down The Silence of the Lambs as he found the film “disgusting”.
Director Jonathan Demme told Deadline that Connery was the “only other person” aside from Hopkins they had in mind for the role.
He said: “Sean Connery was the only other person I thought could be amazing for this. Connery has that fierce intelligence and also that serious physicality. I love Tony Hopkins, but Sean Connery could be amazing.”
There was also a practical reason for hiring Connery, who was still a sought-after star, especially in the years after bagging himself an Oscar. Demme confirmed it made sense for the film to “to take the most commercial path, because Connery was flying very high at the time, we sent the script to Sean Connery first.”
But it was a firm no from Connery, who aired his disgust at the project. “Word came back shortly that he thought it was disgusting and wouldn’t dream of playing the part,” Demme said. “So, great, now we can go to Tony Hopkins.”
Hopkins would go on to portray Lecter a total of three times, in Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, and Red Dragon. The role was also portrayed by Brian Cox in Manhunter and Mads Mikkelsen in the Hannibal television adaptation.
