Liam Neeson talks 'The Naked Gun', working with Pamela Anderson and why comedy must poke fun at everyone

Dubai: Hollywood action star Liam Neeson in a tartan skirt and colourful underwear? Now, that's a sentence that I thought I would never write, but it's actually happening in The Naked Gun, out in UAE cinemas this July 31.

The actor, known for intense, brooding roles in films like Taken, takes a wild detour into full-blown slapstick in this irreverent reboot of the cult comedy franchise.

Let’s face it: Liam Neeson is one of Hollywood’s most unlikely late-career action stars. Beloved for his gravitas and emotional intensity in films like Schindler’s List and the blockbuster Taken series, he has built a global fan base—especially in the Middle East.

With The Naked Gun, he steps into a completely different genre, reviving the 1988 cult classic led by the late Leslie Nielsen. That original film, a zany spin-off from the TV series Police Squad!, became iconic for its slapstick humour, deadpan delivery, and absurd one-liners.

Rebooting such a beloved comedy with an actor known for dramatic intensity is both a bold move—and an irresistible one.

“Was it a new sort of character? Yes, it was,” Liam told me during our conversation over zoom.

“Spoofing fun at my past cinema history, certainly over the past Taken movies. The first one of those we shot 18 years ago."

So did he enjoy stepping into this uncharted territory?

“Yes. I mean, I hesitate to say it was all fun. It wasn’t, because it was comedy. Comedy, a lot of times, isn’t fun. But did I enjoy making it? Yes, I did. I enjoyed working very much with Pamela, Paul, and my old friend Danny Huston. Schaefer, who comes from the world of comedy with Saturday Night Live. He understands and can analyse comedy incredibly well. Akiva Schaffer has a really good sense of humour. So overall, yes, I enjoyed it.”

In today’s climate of heightened sensitivity and potential cancellation, Liam acknowledges the risk of humour that dares to poke fun at society.

“I was hoping there’d be more lines that would fly, really. We live in strange times. Let’s face it. We need comedies. We need comedians to poke fun at all of us, no matter what race, religion, or what we stand for. I learned recently that gargoyles at the edges of cathedrals and buildings were designed to make fun of us humans walking into those places of worship. They’re there to remind us—who do you think you are?”

That kind of humility, he believes, is missing today.

“Sometimes we take ourselves way, way too seriously. There’s nothing better than being in a darkened cinema or theatre and laughing at ourselves. Hopefully, a film like The Naked Gun allows for that.”

The film also lets Neeson subvert his famously serious on-screen image.

“It’s good to poke fun at ourselves. I hope with The Naked Gun, the producers and director were able to use my former screen persona and just play with it. Give people a few giggles, a few laughs.”

Still, comedy is a different muscle, and Liam wasn’t always confident in his performance.

“I didn’t know. At the end of each day’s work, I was unsure if I was delivering or not. It was important not to try to be funny, but to be somewhat serious in the delivery of lines.”

That deadpan style is something he’s admired since childhood.

“I think back to when I was a kid, going to see Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy—especially Laurel and Hardy. Buster Keaton’s face never changed during hilarious physical gags. That was his appeal. He could stay completely straight and still be incredibly funny. I love that.”

Neeson also had nothing but praise for his co-star Pamela Anderson, who brings her own iconic presence to the film.

“I love the fact that I didn’t know Pamela’s history. I was aware of Baywatch many years ago. I didn’t avidly watch it, but I knew of its popularity. Pamela has a terrific sense of humour. There were no airs and graces, none of that nonsense. She was there to act and to work. She was very available, and I really enjoyed her company. We had a few giggles between takes.”

As our chat wrapped up, I asked Neeson about his enormous popularity in the Middle East, especially in the UAE.

“That’s a huge compliment. One of the best festivals I was ever at was in Abu Dhabi a number of years ago, at a big shopping mall complex. I can’t remember the film I was presenting, but I was there for maybe three or four days. It was a beautiful time—gracious, lovely people. And there were so many Irish people there too, teaching and doing various jobs. A lovely place. I had such a lovely time being there.”

In The Naked Gun, Liam Neeson throws off the weight of his legendary screen persona and reminds us all to laugh a little more—especially at ourselves.

“I like to think I have a sense of humour. I’ve never really had a chance to express it too much in film.”

Now, he finally does—and the results are just as unexpected and delightful as you’d hope.