Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Liam Neeson still enjoys doing his “own fights” in his films.
The 74-year-old actor doesn’t go to the gym every day but he tries to stay “reasonably fit” so he is ready to go if any of his projects require an action scene.
He told Fox News Digital: “No, I don’t go to a gym at all, but it behooves me, any actor or actress playing a lead, it behooves you to have a level of fitness.
“You don’t have to spend two hours in the gym every day. I used to, many years ago, but I keep reasonably fit.
“If I read a script, or Mark [Vanselow] sends me a script, and there’s physical action sequences, I like doing my own fights. I can still do them up to a point.
“If there’s physical stuff like that, then I’ll increase my physical workout activity a little bit.
“You don’t have to spend two hours in the gym every day. I used to, many years ago, but I keep reasonably fit.”
The Taken actor feels “lucky” that he’s still considered for action roles at this stage in his life.
He said: “I think, just generally the importance of it. Should it just be a walk every day, you know what I mean? And you know, I’m so lucky. I’m 74 years of age, and I’m so lucky to occasionally still get offered this type of role.”
Mark Vanselow, the director of Liam’s latest movie The Mongoose, praised the veteran star for his “willingness to do what it takes to get it done.”
The filmmaker – who previously worked as Liam’s stunt double – added during the joint interview: “As far as the amount of training it requires and the time you put in.
“And then being willing to be flexible in that and try to create something new all the time, which is … I think what we’re both trying to do with some of this action, but in movies in general.”
Marisa Tomei also stars in The Mongoose and she recently admitted the opportunity to work with Liam drew her to the project.
She told People magazine: “I’ve admired him for a long time, and it seemed like it would be a film that was going to have a lot of action and fun packed in with a story that’s hard to tell in a lot of other genres.
“I think this was a really great way to tell this story of the trauma of war and what our American heroes go through, and then have it be extremely entertaining at the same time, and have this incredible actor at the centre of it.
“The whole kit and caboodle was really about Liam and the fun of working with him.
“Obviously, he’s a legend, but once you get to meet him and speak with him, he’s so funny. A lot of that humour does come through.
“The script is really well crafted to be an action movie as well as have that comedy in it, to have zingers.”
