Surprising Reason Liam Neeson Turned Down The Role Of James Bond

James Bond may be the most diverse movie character of all time due to the impressive number of actors who have played him over the years, six to be exact, and it is clear that there will be more as fans are already placing bets and making predictions.

But the list of actors who could have played the legendary spy, but passed on the role for various reasons, is even longer, and some of them might really surprise you.

For example, did you know that after Timothy Dalton, who played Bond in 1989's Licence to Kill, none other than Liam Neeson could have become the new face of 007, if not for a surprising reason that he revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone?

After his excellent portrayal of Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List (1993), Neeson was asked if he would be interested in starring in the upcoming GoldenEye, and the actor said yes.

However, his soon-to-be wife Natasha Richardson, who tragically died in 2009 at the age of 45, gave him an ultimatum that they would not get married if he took the role.

Liam agreed, of course, but as the actor now recalls, he poked fun at his wife by making finger guns and humming the James Bond theme.

As for why she was so against the role, Neeson jokingly says that all the "gorgeous girls in various countries" must have influenced her decision.

Eventually, Pierce Brosnan was cast as the new Bond and you know the rest of the story.

Although Liam would have undoubtedly made a great 007, as he's perfectly capable of being both suave and menacing when the role demands it, the most famous example of the latter being his role in the Taken movies, as many viewers still remember his iconic quote about having a "very particular set of skills".

Sadly, it is now too late for the 71-year-old actor to take on the role, leaving his fans to mourn this huge missed opportunity.

Source: Rolling Stone