Getting the role of James Bond is extremely demanding, but can also be a very lucrative deal for the actor in question. Now we know, thanks to an interview with Rolling Stonethat Liam Neeson was once offered the role.
It happened in the 1990s, but the role ended up going to Pierce Brosnan, who debuted with Goldeneye in 1995. Before that, Neeson got the offer and described it like this:
“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.'”
In short, he chose the relationship with his wife instead. Would you have liked to see him in the role or are you thankful it went to Pierce Brosnan?
