Liam Neeson is an Irish actor. Neeson has had an extensive career in film, television and stage. He made his professional acting debut playing Jesus Christ in the film Pilgrim's Progress (1978). That same year he acted in the BBC anthology series Play for Today (1978). A few years later he made his stage debut in the Brian Friel play Translations (1980). He earned notoriety for his early roles as Gawain in the John Boorman medieval fantasy film Excalibur (1981), Charles Churchill in the Roger Donaldson historical drama The Bounty (1984), Father John Fielding in the Roland Joffé religious epic The Mission (1986), a conflicted and caring Christian Brother in the bleak tragic film Lamb (1986), and a charming writer in the Woody Allen romantic comedy-drama Husbands and Wives (1992).
Neeson gained prominence with his first successful lead role in Darkman, and acclaim for his leading role of Oskar Schindler in the Steven Spielberg's holocaust epic drama film Schindler's List (1993). He established himself as a leading man in a string of prestige films playing the title role of the romance drama Ethan Frome (1993), a town doctor in the drama film Nell (1994), the starring role in the historical drama Michael Collins (1996), and Jean Valjean in the costume drama Les Misérables (1998). He expanded his career gaining worldwide attention for his roles in franchise films such as Qui-Gon Jinn in the George Lucas space opera film Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Henri Ducard / Ra's al Ghul in the Christopher Nolan superhero film Batman Begins (2005), Aslan the Lion in The Chronicles of Narnia series (2005–2010), and Zeus in Clash of the Titans (2010). He also acted in the Martin Scorsese historical epic Gangs of New York (2002), the British romantic comedy Love Actually (2003) and the historical drama Kinsey (2004).
He then established himself as an action star taking the leading role as a father out for vengeance in the action drama Taken (2008) followed by Taken 2 (2012) and Taken 3 (2014). He then starred in several action films such as The Grey (2012), Non-Stop (2013), A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014), Run All Night (2015), The Commuter (2018), Cold Pursuit (2019), Honest Thief (2020), Blacklight (2022), and In the Land of Saints and Sinners (2023). During this time he took roles in the fantasy drama A Monster Calls (2016), the historical epic Silence (2016), the western anthology The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), and noir-thriller Widows (2018). He took comedic roles playing John "Hannibal" Smith in the action comedy The A-Team (2010), an outlaw in the western comedy in A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) and a bumbling officer in the crime comedy The Naked Gun (2025).
On stage, he acted in Broadway revivals of the Eugene O'Neill play Anna Christie (1992), the David Hare play The Judas Kiss (1998), and the Arthur Miller play The Crucible (2001). Neeson has been nominated for a number of awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actor, a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and three Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama. Empire magazine ranked Neeson among both the "100 Sexiest Stars in Film History" and "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time."
Film
+ Year Title Role Notes 1978 Pilgrim's Progress Evangelist / Jesus Christ 1979 Christiana Greatheart 1981 Excalibur Gawain 1983 Krull Kegan 1984 The Bounty Charles Churchill 1985 Lamb Michael Lamb The Innocent John Carns1986 The Mission Father John Fielding Duet for One Totter 1987 Suspect Carl Anderson A Prayer for the Dying Liam Docherty 1988 Satisfaction Martin Falcon High Spirits Martin Brogan The Dead Pool Peter Swan The Good Mother Leo Cutter 1989 Next of Kin Briar Gates 1990 Darkman Peyton Westlake / Darkman The Big Man Danny Scoulars 1991 Under Suspicion Tony Aaron 1992 Shining Through Franz-Otto Dietrich Husbands and Wives Michael Gates Leap of Faith Sheriff Will Braverman 1993 Ethan Frome Ethan Frome Ruby Cairo Dr. Fergus Lamb Schindler's List Oskar Schindler 1994 Nell Dr. Jerome 'Jerry' Lovell 1995 Rob Roy Rob Roy MacGregor 1996 Before and After Ben Ryan Michael Collins Michael Collins1998 Les Misérables Jean Valjean 1999 Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Qui-Gon Jinn The Haunting Dr. David Marrow 2000 Gun Shy DEA Agent Charlie Mayough 2002 K-19: The Widowmaker Captain Mikhail Polenin Gangs of New York 'Priest' Vallon Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones Qui-Gon Jinn (voice) Cameo appearance 2003 Love Actually Daniel 2004 Kinsey Alfred Kinsey 2005 Kingdom of Heaven Godfrey of Ibelin Batman Begins Henri Ducard / Ra's al Ghul Breakfast on Pluto Father Liam The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Aslan (voice) 2007 Seraphim Falls Colonel Morsman Carver 2008 The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Aslan (voice) The Other Man Peter Taken Bryan Mills 2009 Five Minutes of Heaven Alistair Little Ponyo Fujimoto (voice) English dub After.Life Eliot Deacon Chloe David Stewart 2010 Clash of the Titans Zeus The A-Team John "Hannibal" Smith The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Aslan (voice) The Next Three Days Damon Pennington 2011 Unknown Dr. Martin Harris 2012 The Grey John Ottway Wrath of the Titans ZeusBattleship Admiral Terrance Shane The Dark Knight Rises Ra's al Ghul Cameo appearance Taken 2 Bryan Mills 2013 Third Person Michael Leary Khumba Phango (voice) Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues History Channel Reporter Cameo appearance 2014 The Nut Job Raccoon (voice) The Lego Movie Bad Cop / Good Cop / Pa Cop (voices) The Prophet Mustafa (voice) Non-Stop Bill Marks A Million Ways to Die in the West Clinch Leatherwood A Walk Among the Tombstones Matthew Scudder Taken 3 Bryan Mills 2015 Run All Night Jimmy 'The Gravedigger' Conlon Entourage Himself Cameo appearance Ted 2 Customer Cameo appearanceA Christmas Star Narrator / Radio DJ 2016 Operation Chromite Douglas MacArthur A Monster Calls Monster / Conor's Grandfather (voices) Also motion captureSilence Cristóvão Ferreira 2017 The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature Raccoon (voice) Scenes deleted Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House Mark Felt Daddy's Home 2 Actor In Missile Tow (voice) Cameo appearance 2018The Commuter Michael McCauleyThe Ballad of Buster Scruggs Impresario Segment: "Meal Ticket"Widows Harry Rawlings 2019Cold Pursuit Nelson 'Nels' CoxmanMen in Black: International High T Ordinary Love Tom ThompsonStar Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker Qui-Gon Jinn (voice) Cameo appearance2020Made in Italy Robert Foster Honest Thief Tom Carter / Tom Dolan 2021 The Marksman Jim Hanson The Ice Road Mike McCann 2022 Blacklight Travis Block Memory Alex Lewis Marlowe Philip Marlowe 2023 Retribution Matt Turner In the Land of Saints and Sinners Finbar Murphy Wildcat Father Flynn 2024 Absolution Thug 2025 Ice Road: Vengeance Mike McCann The Naked Gun Frank Drebin Jr. 2026 Cold Storage Robert Quinn The Fix Larry Ryan "Fang" Flanagan Post-production 2027 Danny Post-production
Television + Year Title Role Notes 1978 Play for Today Dermont Episode: "Dinner at the Sporting Club" 1978 Ulster in Focus Himself Episode: "Trains" 1980 BBC2 Playhouse Blacksmith Episode: "My Dear Palestrina"1986 Miami Vice Sean Carroon Episode: "When Irish Eyes Are Crying" 1988 Screen Two Martin Perry Episode: "Sweet as You Are" 2002 Liberty's Kids John Paul Jones (voice) Episode: "Not Yet Begun to Fight" 2004–14 Saturday Night Live Himself 3 episodes 2005 The Simpsons Father Sean (voice) Episode: "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star" 2010 The Big C Bee Man Episode: "Everything That Rises Must Converge" 2011Life's Too Short Himself Episode # 1.1 2011–14 Star Wars: The Clone Wars Qui-Gon Jinn (voice) 3 episodes 2014Rev. God Episode # 3.5 2014–15 Family Guy Himself (voice) 2 episodes; "Brian's a Bad Father", "Fighting Irish"2016Inside Amy Schumer Himself Episode: "Welcome to the Gun Show"Dream Corp, LLC Devil Demon Voice; Episode: "The Leak"2017 The Orville Jahavus Dorahl Episode: "If the Stars Should Appear"2022 Derry Girls Chief Constable Byers 2 episodes Atlanta Himself Episode: "New Jazz" Tales of the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn (voice) Episode: "The Sith Lord" 2023 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Narrator (voice) Episode: "The Indict-Mare Before Christmas"
TV films and miniseries + Year Title Role Notes 1984 Ellis Island Kevin Murray 1985 A Woman of Substance Blackie O'Neill Merlin and the Sword Grak 1986 If Tomorrow Comes Insp. Andre Trignent 2 episodes 1987 Hold the Dream Blackie O'Neill Episode #1.1 Sword to Silence Vincent Cauley 2001 Revenge of the Whale Narrator Documentary 2017 Red Nose Day Actually Daniel Television short film2022 Obi-Wan Kenobi Qui-Gon Jinn Episode: "Part VI"
Documentary appearances + Year Title Role Notes 1996The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th CenturyJohn Lucy / Adolf Hitler (voices) 1998 Everest Narrator (voice)2000 The EnduranceEmpires: The Greeks2001Evolution2002Martin Luther2003 Coral Reef Adventure2004Patrick 2006 Home Himself2010 The Wildest Dream Narrator (voice) 2014 Love Thy Nature RoadWild Japan: Snow Monkeys20161916: The Irish Rebellion 2018The Last Horsemen of New York HimselfPope: The Most Powerful Man In HistoryNarrator (voice)6 episodes2020 The Hunger
Stage appearances + Year Title Role Venue Notes 1976The Risen PeopleBig Jim LarkinLyric Theatre, BelfastThe Loves of Cass MaguireDomPhiladelphia, Here I Come!GarethHenry IV, Part 1PercyWe Do it for LoveP.H. Pearse, O'Brien, IRA memberAbbey Theatre, Dublin1977Black Man's CountryFather O'BrienLyric Theatre, BelfastThe StreetMother Courage and Her ChildrenThe Colleen BawnThe Plough and the StarsJack ClitheroeThe Rise and Fall of Barney KerriganBarney KerriganA Little Night MusicBertrand1978Says I Says HeProject Arts Centre, DublinStreamers Dublin Theatre Festival, Dublin1979One Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestGaiety Theatre, DublinAristocratsEamonAbbey Theatre, DublinThe Death of Humpty DumptyGerald DoyleJuno and the PaycockIrregularI Do Not Like Thee, Doctor FellRogerEveryman Playhouse, CorkThe SeaHollarcutAbbey Theatre, DublinCity SugarRex 1980 Translations Doalty Field Day Theatre Company, Derry Of Mice and MenLennieAbbey Theatre, DublinThe Winter's TaleFranion1981The InformerGypo NolanDublin Theatre Festival, Dublin 1992–93 Anna Christie Mat Burke Criterion Center Stage Right, New YorkBroadway debut 1998 The Judas Kiss Oscar Wilde Broadhurst Theatre, New York 2001–02 The Crucible John Proctor The Virginia Theatre, New York 2003The Play What I WroteMystery Guest StarLyceum Theatre, New YorkPreviews 2008 Eh Joe Joe Lincoln Center, New York
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2005 Batman Begins Henri Ducard / Ra's al Ghul (voice) 2008 Fallout 3 James (voice) Also motion capture 2014 The Lego Movie Videogame Good Cop / Bad Cop (voice) 2015 Lego Dimensions Archive audio
Audiobook narration Year Book Role Notes 2017 The Polar Express Narrator Audio CD only
Discography +YearAlbumRoleNotes2012Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds – The New GenerationThe JournalistSpoken words only
References
External links
Liam Neeson at Theatricalia Liam Neeson at Abbey Theatre Archive Liam Neeson at Irish Playography