LOS ANGELES—Liam Neeson is still making action movies at 69, but behind his fearsome figure lies a philosophical, playful and witty soul. He sat down with AARP The Magazine (ATM) to discuss his decision-making process when taking on roles, including his lead in the upcoming action thriller, Memory. The Irish American actor also discussed the powerful women who have influenced him; how his youth in a war-torn country still affects him; the joys of fatherhood; and his sense of wonder at his success in the action-hero genre and how the stunts and scripts haven’t seemed to catch up with him – not that he minds.  

The following are excerpts from ATM’s April/May 2022 cover story featuring Liam Neeson. The issue is available in homes starting in April and online now at www.aarp.org/magazine/. 

On stunts in his seventies: 

“The stunts I leave to the stuntman. The fighting I do myself, and I keep reasonably fit for that…. They’re still sending me action scripts, you know? They wanted me to do one with Jackie Chan, which when I read it, I thought, well this would be tough for a 22-year-old, let alone a 69-year-old who’s going to be 70 this year. That’s the only one I turned down.” 

On his upcoming film Memory: 

“My elder sister, she has a very close pal who is suffering from dementia, and he cannot remember stuff from 5, 10, 15 minutes ago. So, in Memory I work in little bits of stammering or clumsiness that grabs people in the audience who know someone who’s suffering from it, from dementia or Alzheimer’s, but I wanted to keep it very, very subtle, because it could become jokey if I overdid the dementia.” 

On receiving parenting wisdom from Meryl Streep: 

“As a parent, you’re always thinking, They should’ve been back 10 minutes ago—what’s happened? My dear friend Meryl Streep came up to visit Natasha, my late wife, and myself when Micheál was 6 months old. He was lying on his cot, asleep, arms above his head, and she said, “That’s good. He’s not curled up. He’s comfortable and feels at home.” And I said, “Thank you, Meryl. That’s very sweet.” And then, as we were heading down the stairs, she added, “You both realize you’re hostages for the rest of your life, right?” [Laughs.] And she was absolutely correct.” 

On watching his kids grow up: 

“Sometimes you see in your kids a flash of their mother or a flash of your grandmom, and it might last only seconds, but you see the connection.” 

On how his upbringing in Ireland may have shaped his roles: 

“I’m talking 50 years ago. It’s kind of a post-traumatic stress disorder. I don’t know if it has scarred me, but it has definitely formed something of my character. Maybe you’re right—maybe even when I play these violent roles, I’m trying to bring some quality of redemption or justice.” 

On balancing violence and love in boxing: 

“There was respect, especially after a fight. You’d go and hug your opponent, and he’d hug you. Yes, you’re trying to punch each other’s head off with gloves, but there’s something else, too, dare I say it: the word “love,” ya know?” 

On relaxing in his garden in upstate New York: 

“I have a few acres upstate with a walled garden where we grow vegetables. I have three apple trees…Long ago we tried chickens, and they stopped laying. Someone suggested getting a cock so I got this little cock, and when I went in to check on the hens, this cock would fly in my face. Every f------ morning. And I thought, I’m going to kill this f-----. I told Natasha, I said, “Darlin’, we can’t do this. This cock is putting the fear of God in me.” We gave away the chickens.” 

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About AARP

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation’s largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol @AARPadvocates and @AliadosAdelante on social media.