Although Liam Neeson is best known as an actor who possesses “a very particular set of skills,” he is much more than the imposing character he played in the movie Taken. Neeson was actually a bit of a jack of all trades than a specialist long before he switched from an arthouse star to an action hero.
Actor Liam Neeson, who was born and raised in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, attributes much of his success to the discipline and work ethic he developed as an amateur boxer in the 1960s. He considered boxing as a career when he was a kid. Nevertheless, fate had other plans for Liam Neeson despite his talent and ambition in boxing.
Liam Neeson’s Real Passion As a Child Was Boxing
With roles in movies like Taken, Schindler’s List, and Michael Collins, Liam Neeson is among Ireland’s most well-known actors. However, as a child, Neeson had two hobbies- Boxing and acting.
His priest announced that he was forming a boxing club when Liam Neeson was nine years old. Their determined group eventually rose to become one of Ireland’s best amateur boxing clubs.
Neeson regularly competed between the ages of 11 and 17, and he even thought about going pro. He was crowned three Northern Ireland juvenile championship titles and twice finished second in Ireland.
But when he was 16 years old, he suffered a concussion during a fight, which made him give up. He also found it difficult to balance acting, boxing, and school, so he decided that one of them would have to go.
Neeson explained: “It was maybe close to my last fight. I must have been 16. I actually won the fight, but I came out of the ring and I had obviously got a concussion because my trainer said to go downstairs and take my clothes off and stuff, and I couldn’t figure out what downstairs meant”.
“It kind of freaked me out a bit. It lasted for about three minutes or so. I remember thinking, ‘I’ve got to get out of this. It’s not comfortable anymore’.”And thus Neeson stopped boxing at 17 when he realized he didn’t have enough time to train properly.
In the Taken trilogy, Run All Night, The Commuter, Neeson displayed his boxing skills. Neeson was so good at boxing that one of his co-stars UFC Fighter Quinton Jackson heard only good things about Neeson and how strong he was in the ring.
Jackson said, “My boxing trainer is from Liverpool; he’s an Irishman, Mark Kenny, and he told me he used to watch him… He said he was bad; he was a bada**.”
Liam Neeson’s transition from an aspiring boxer in Northern Ireland to a renowned actor in Hollywood is proof of the power of following one’s passion and picking up unexpected opportunities.
Liam Neeson’s Evolution As An Action Hero
Liam Neeson was mostly praised for his dramatic and character-driven performances in movies like Schindler’s List, Michael Collins, and Kinsey. However, in the middle of the 2000s, he had a shift, assuming roles that freshly showed his physicality and charisma.
Liam Neeson was seriously propelled into the action superstar with the film Taken. Neeson played Bryan Mills, a retired CIA agent with a “particular set of skills” who was trying to save his daughter who had been abducted, in this suspenseful thriller. Everyone was surprised by the movie’s popularity, and audiences got hooked by Neeson’s captivating acting.
Neeson offered a more seasoned and relatable presence to the screen in contrast to the stereotypically young and muscular protagonists often associated with the genre. Despite his physical prowess, he portrays people who are battling their own faults, worries, and internal demons.
Movies like Unknown, Non-Stop, Run All Night, and The Commuter showcased his versatility as an action star, tackling different scenarios and challenges.
Neeson proved that talent, charisma, and sincerity can transcend age and societal norms by redefining what an action star should be.
Source: Irish Central
