Liam Neeson’s hard pass — one movie genre he won’t go near

Here we go then: Liam Neeson. Over 100 films and counting, from epic swords-and-sandals to those ’Dad with a particular set of skills’ thrillers. The man’s practically synonymous with the modern action comeback. But it turns out there’s still one genre he refuses to touch, and he’s not shy about saying why.

Liam Neeson appeared in more than 100 films, but has still never taken a role in a horror movie.

Speaking to People, Neeson got right to the point. He says he genuinely loves the business, the whole communal bit of working with actors, crews, the ritual of putting a story together — doesn’t matter if it’s action, drama, or a talking penguin musical. Well, except horror. Neeson put it bluntly: horror is not on his menu, and never will be. 'No matter what the genre is, except horror. I won’t do horror.'

Scripts vs. Screams

This isn’t just a recent whim. Back in January, Neeson again told Far Out magazine he’s 'a big believer in writers and the script' and that it’s basically the bedrock of any good project — unless, of course, it’s horror, still a hard no.

Given the parts he’s played — Jedi Master, grieving dad, over-the-hill hitman, even bumbling detective in a Naked Gun reboot — you might expect he’d try just about anything once. Apparently not. If you were holding out hope for 'Insidious 12: Liam Neeson’s Basement,' probably don’t.

Philosophy of a Reluctant Legend

What’s always a bit surprising with Neeson is how little patience he seems to have for Hollywood hoo-ha. Yes, he's choosy, but he claims it’s all much simpler than people think: decent script, good people, off you go. Also, at 74, he admits he sometimes glances sideways at strenuous action scenes and wonders if the filmmakers actually remember his age — though you wouldn’t really know it from his recent work rate.

He made his first screen appearance way back in 1978 in Pilgrim’s Progress, and has since veered from comic ensemble (Love Actually) to grim superhero reboot (Batman Begins), creating his own luck and opportunities along the way. Neeson himself reckons waiting for the magic to happen gets you nowhere, telling People:

"I believe you create your luck. It’s not gonna come to you lying on the couch in your basement apartment in London… You have to get up and do something about it."

Bit of career advice there for the aspiring Neesons among you. For everyone else, his latest action affair — The Fix — is out in cinemas as we speak. As for horror? Don’t hold your breath.