Liam Neeson Turned Down James Bond Role After His Wife Told Him She Wouldn't Marry Him If He Played 007

Liam Neeson recently revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone that at one point in his career he had the opportunity to play James Bond. This was shortly after he made Schindler’s List with Steven Spielberg, and while he was interested, he ultimately turned down the role because of an ultimatum his wife, Natasha Richardson, gave him. Neeson explained what that ultimatum was and why he passed on the role:

“I know the Broccolis. They looked at a bunch of actors, Schindler’s List had come out and Barbara [Broccoli] had called me a couple of times to ask if I was interested, and I said, ‘Yes, I would be interested.’ And then my lovely wife [Natasha Richardson], God rest her soul, said to me while we were shooting ‘Nell’ down in the Carolinas, ‘Liam, I want to tell you something: If you play James Bond, we’re not getting married.'

“She gave me a James Bond ultimatum, and she meant it! Come on, there’s all those gorgeous girls in various countries getting into bed and getting out of bed. I’m sure a lot of her decision-making was based on that!”

In the end, Neeson’s love for his wife outmatched his interest in playing James Bond, and he never ended up taking a serious meeting with Broccoli about taking on the role. If he had, though, I bet he would have been cast as Bond! He went on to say that he joked with Richardson by “going behind her back, making my fingers as though I’m holding a gun, and [humming the James Bond theme]. I loved doing that shit!”

Not taking the role of James Bond didn’t hurt Neeson’s career, after staring in the Taken franchise, he became a big action star and now all he makes is kickass action movies!