Liam Neeson has been synonymous with the action genre for years. It was the 1993 Schindler’s List that gave him the stardom he so deserved as an action superstar. But it was truly the hit Taken franchise that solidified his status as an action star.

Liam Neeson is an established action star

Taken, a movie about a retired CIA agent on a trip around Europe to save his daughter, became a cult classic in no time. His one-man-army character effortlessly gave him a commanding screen presence, enhancing Neeson as a formidable action hero. However, Neeson expressed being embarrassed when he was confronted over his total number of on-screen kills in Taken.

Liam Neeson Felt Embarrassed After Being Confronted By His Driver

Liam Neeson felt embarrassed over his on-screen kills

Throughout the Taken series, Neeson’s Bryan Mills embarks on a relentless mission to bring justice, killing numerous fugitives along the way. Despite his extraordinary prowess, Liam Neeson once felt embarrassed over the number of on-screen kills he had in the first installment of the series.

“I had a driver when I was doing Taken, the first Taken movie 15 years ago I think it was, and we were shooting in LA for the first week, and at the end of the first week, my driver as he dropped me off at the hotel, he said, “Mr. Neeson, can I ask you a question?” I said, “Yeah, sure.” He says, “I’ve started to read the script of Taken, I’ve got to page 40, I think he said. It says you’ve taken the lives of 26 people.” [laughs] I didn’t know how to answer that. I felt quite embarrassed. They said in such a way as if, “Are you sure you’ve read this script? Because you do nasty things to people.”

It might have been the casual nature of Neeson’s kills that had made his driver somewhat disturbed, but Neeson nonetheless felt embarrassed over it. Despite the high number of kills, Neeson’s remarkable action scenes helped him reach a defining point in his long career as an action hero.

Taken Franchise Changed Liam Neeson’s Career

Liam Neeson in Taken

Taken was a revenge thriller through and through, featuring Liam Neeson’s character going on a rescue mission to save his daughter. The movie went on to achieve over $226 million worldwide, with two blockbuster sequels.

Taken’s success has majorly been due to Liam Neeson’s intense performance and captivating screen presence. His determination to rescue his daughter along with taking on a web of criminal organizations, made Brayan Mills a memorable action hero.

The sense of authenticity Liam Neeson brought to the role coupled with his compelling performance and supreme action sequence changed the trajectory of his career, changing it for good.