"RE-RELEASE: Liam Neeson”

Summary

SmartLess Episode Summary: "RE-RELEASE: Liam Neeson"

Guest:
Liam Neeson – Acclaimed actor known for his roles in Schindler's List, The Taken series, The Lego Movie, and Memory.

Release Date: August 14, 2025

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Introduction

In this special re-release episode of SmartLess, hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett are joined by none other than the legendary Liam Neeson. The conversation delves deep into Neeson's illustrious career, his early days in theater, personal anecdotes from various film sets, and his perspectives on acting and life. The episode is rich with heartfelt stories, genuine camaraderie, and insightful reflections from one of Hollywood’s most respected actors.

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Welcome and Initial Banter [02:56 - 03:08]

The episode kicks off with the hosts warmly welcoming Liam Neeson to SmartLess. The initial moments are filled with playful exchanges as they set the stage for an engaging and candid conversation.

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Early Career and Theater Roots [03:08 - 13:42]

Liam Neeson shares his beginnings in the theater, recounting performances during the tumultuous times in Belfast:

“[03:18] Liam Neeson: When I was in Ireland, in the theater, we'd play six nights a week during the height of the Troubles. Even with bomb scares, the Lyric Players Theater never closed. It was a simple bubble of joy amidst chaos.”

He reminisces about performing in plays like The Crucible and his experiences with esteemed actors such as Maggie Smith and Judi Dench, highlighting the dedication and passion that fueled his early career.

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Transition to Film and Schindler's List [13:42 - 49:22]

The conversation shifts to Neeson’s transition from theater to film, with a special focus on his pivotal role in Schindler's List. Neeson describes his audition process and the profound impact the film had on him:

“[43:58] Liam Neeson: When I joined Schindler's List, I was terrified. Standing at the gates of Auschwitz, dressed as Oskar Schindler, I felt an immense responsibility. It wasn’t just acting; it was telling a crucial piece of history.”

He recounts a poignant moment on set where producer Branko Lustig shared his personal connection to Auschwitz, deepening Neeson’s emotional engagement with the role.

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Working with Stephen Spielberg [49:22 - 54:43]

Sean Hayes brings up Neeson’s collaboration with director Steven Spielberg, prompting Neeson to elaborate on their dynamic:

“[49:22] Liam Neeson: Spielberg was incredible. He trusted me despite not using storyboards for Schindler's List. His approach was raw and focused on storytelling. After filming, Spielberg complimented my audition preparation, emphasizing the importance of genuine emotion.”

Neeson highlights Spielberg’s meticulous directing style and the profound respect they share, which contributed to the film's authenticity and emotional depth.

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Personal Anecdotes and Relationships [54:43 - 67:50]

The hosts delve into personal stories, including Neeson's interactions with co-stars and the enduring friendships he's built over the years. A touching moment unfolds when Neeson shares a serendipitous encounter with Jason Bateman’s mother:

“[65:05] Liam Neeson: I met Jason Bateman’s mother years ago on a flight. She took care of me during a vulnerable moment, and we reconnected on SmartLess. It was a beautiful reminder of kindness across decades.”

The episode also touches on Neeson’s discipline and hobbies, such as his love for reading and fly fishing, offering a glimpse into his life beyond the screen.

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Acting Philosophy and Evolution [37:57 - 43:39]

Neeson reflects on his acting journey and how his approach has evolved:

“[37:57] Liam Neeson: Looking back, I see my early work as overacting. Today, I strive for authenticity and subtlety. Watching my older performances can be cringeworthy, but they were essential steps in my growth.”

He emphasizes the importance of continual learning and adaptation in his craft, acknowledging the challenges and rewards that come with a long-standing career.

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Closing Thoughts and Farewells [67:00 - 67:50]

As the episode wraps up, the hosts express their immense gratitude for Neeson's time and openness. Neeson reciprocates the warmth, sharing final reflections on his career and personal growth:

“[67:25] Liam Neeson: It’s been an honor to talk with you all. Please give my love to Jason’s mother. She was a lifesaver.”

The conversation concludes on a high note, celebrating the mutual respect and admiration between Neeson and the hosts.

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Notable Quotes

• Liam Neeson on Theater in Belfast: “[03:18] When I was in Ireland, in the theater, we'd play six nights a week during the height of the Troubles. Even with bomb scares, the Lyric Players Theater never closed. It was a simple bubble of joy amidst chaos.”

• Neeson on Schindler's List: “[43:58] When I joined Schindler's List, I was terrified. Standing at the gates of Auschwitz, dressed as Oskar Schindler, I felt an immense responsibility. It wasn’t just acting; it was telling a crucial piece of history.”

• On Acting Evolution: “[37:57] Looking back, I see my early work as overacting. Today, I strive for authenticity and subtlety. Watching my older performances can be cringeworthy, but they were essential steps in my growth.”

• Final Reflection: “[67:25] It’s been an honor to talk with you all. Please give my love to Jason’s mother. She was a lifesaver.”

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Conclusion

This episode of SmartLess offers a rare and intimate glimpse into Liam Neeson’s life and career. From his resilient beginnings in theater during challenging times to his transformative role in Schindler's List, Neeson shares heartfelt stories and valuable insights. The genuine rapport between Neeson and the hosts creates an engaging and memorable listening experience, making it a must-listen for fans and newcomers alike.

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Relevant Advertisements (Excluded from Summary)

Advertisements and promotional segments for Homes.com, Hilton, SkinnyPop Popcorn, Searchlight Pictures' "The Roses," Paragould, BetterHelp, and Sonic are present in the transcript but have been omitted from this summary as per the request to exclude non-content sections.

Transcript

[Will Arnett]

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[Jason Bateman]

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[Will Arnett]

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[Sean Hayes]

Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome. Welcome to.

[Jason Bateman]

Welcome to.

[Liam Neeson]

Smart.

[Sean Hayes]

Less.

[Liam Neeson]

Smart.

[Sean Hayes]

Less.

[Liam Neeson]

Smart. Less smart.

[Jason Bateman]

Yes.

[Will Arnett]

I feel like I want to get into talking to you guys. I really do. I miss you, Sean. I owe you a call. I know that you FaceTimed me the other night and I never called you back, and I'm just realizing that now. And I miss you desperately.

[Jason Bateman]

I miss you guys, too.

[Will Arnett]

And are you okay in Chicago?

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, Will.

[Jason Bateman]

William, thank you. Yes. Are you okay? I mean, it's. Other than the sirens going off every single day, every fucking night. And the guy across the. Across the hall from us has a dog and they leave the door open and it barks so loud it sounds like it's in our apartment. And then it gets all the dogs down the whole hallway going. Every dog starts barking.

[Sean Hayes]

Have you talked to them about it or given them a hairy eyeball on the elevator at least?

[Jason Bateman]

No, I don't. What are you guys about masks? Like, people in this building on dogs.

[Sean Hayes]

They are carriers.

[Jason Bateman]

No, like, some people in the building don't wear masks anymore. And some people are like, oh, the mandate's over.

[Will Arnett]

So I would like to do it based on how they look like. Ooh, you need a mask. You know what I mean?

[Jason Bateman]

But what else? I always forget to bring a meal to rehearsal, too. So I'm kind of hungry all the time. We only get 20 minute breaks, so if I run home. Isn't this an amazing story? If I run home.

[Sean Hayes]

Relatable. Maybe the soldiers in the Ukraine would like to hear about your 20 minute breaks.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, maybe they want to talk.

[Sean Hayes]

Rehearsal snacks aren't great.

[Will Arnett]

Wait. Yeah. Are you going to start complaining about your blocking next?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Yes. Thank you for bringing that up.

[Will Arnett]

Wait. Take it up with the director. We don't want to hear about the blocking on your. No.

[Jason Bateman]

So I have 20 minutes. I don't know what to. I never have. It's. Anyway, I'm always hungry.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Jason, I don't have any complaints. I just feel for my fellow citizens around the world. Likewise.

[Will Arnett]

Sean, you would have loved it last night. I had Jason's wife, Amanda here at the house and his daughter, Maple.

[Jason Bateman]

But no Jason have dinner with my.

[Will Arnett]

Father and not Jason. No.

[Sean Hayes]

No, because, you know, because today's Saturday. Yesterday was a work day, so you're starting dinner at five o'. Clock. That means I still got two hours of work left, by the way.

[Will Arnett]

What a joke. Says, this is the guy who, since January 1st, has played 34 days of golf. And none of them on the weekend, by the way, because he's not allowed to Play on the weekend.

[Sean Hayes]

Because that's family.

[Will Arnett]

Let's talk about. Worth it.

[Jason Bateman]

Wait, isn't that a new. Is that a new rule?

[Sean Hayes]

It is a new rule, and I feel good about it. And I'm also. A new rule is. This is also something our citizens and strife around the world are going to.

[Will Arnett]

Have to do with your Tesla? Go ahead.

[Sean Hayes]

No, it's. I'm going to not play every day. Okay.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, wow. You know, the term hero gets used a lot, but I mean, in this case.

[Sean Hayes]

Listen, we actors are. You know, it's not. We're not. It's easy, okay? And people that say, oh, it's so hard, and the hours are so just. Please. We're so lucky to be doing.

[Jason Bateman]

But let me tell you something. When I run lines with Scotty, just to memorize lines. Run lines. Tracy is like, you run lines like you memorize lines? And I have such a short temper with him, and it has nothing to do with him, but I'm like, okay. So I come in and I say, oh, relax. Okay. Then I say, yeah, but it's only four lousy hours. What can go wrong? And he says, no, it's. I go.

[Will Arnett]

Go back.

[Jason Bateman]

Go back to the previous line. I can't really.

[Sean Hayes]

Does he correct you on every word? Every syllable? Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

And does he come to rehearsal and sit out in the audience? And does he. Do you go line. And Scotty's there?

[Jason Bateman]

No. For the actual performances.

[Sean Hayes]

Can he maybe have, like, a fanny pack that's got snacks in it or something for you?

[Jason Bateman]

I know.

[Will Arnett]

That's a good idea.

[Jason Bateman]

Can you make me a fanny pack with snacks? A pack. Snack. A snack.

[Will Arnett]

You know, it's almost like walking you like he's a dog walker, but for you. And he's got a fanny pack. And he could have some wipes and stuff.

[Sean Hayes]

It's a snacky pack.

[Jason Bateman]

Wipes.

[Sean Hayes]

Scotty with a snacky pack.

[Will Arnett]

We tried to buy Sean that toilet, too, and then it wouldn't work. Right.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Jason and I wanted to buy you a fancy toilet. I know.

[Sean Hayes]

That was so nice listener. So when we were on the tour, a lot about someone when you're living with them. And sweet, sweet Sean, as privileged as he sounds with this past five minutes, he was completely unaware that the toilets with the washlet has snuck up on him and he'd never heard of it before. You know those toto toilets that, like, shoot a geyser in you and. Well, no, I mean, people know about them. Not a lot of people have them, but, I mean, it's like it's this bizarre new technology in.

[Jason Bateman]

It's a bidet built into the bathroom.

[Will Arnett]

We tried to buy Jason and I tried to. After learning Sean didn't know for his.

[Jason Bateman]

Birthday, I came out of the bathroom. I was like, in awe. I was like, oh, my God. There's these switches. It can clean your ass. And then it blow dries.

[Sean Hayes]

We were staying in a hotel that had one, and he couldn't believe it. And we're like, come on, you never. So we know that he. While he's away in Chicago, he's doing some remodeling in the. In the castle there in la. And so we tried to arrange with his husband to get a new toy. Toy put in there. And it ended up being more expensive than the toilet itself. Toy. Toy.

[Jason Bateman]

You had to tear down the wall and to go into the pipes and everything. But it's the thought that counts. And you guys are so sweet to think of that. And I was gonna get you guys Porsches, but it just didn't work out.

[Will Arnett]

Well, there's still time. There's still time.

[Sean Hayes]

Maybe try again.

[Jason Bateman]

It's the thought.

[Will Arnett]

Speaking of still time, we're running out of time because we have a great guest here who has been really biding his time, waiting and being so gracious.

[Jason Bateman]

Sorry, that's my fault.

[Will Arnett]

And this is somebody who can relate to actor problems. Because this is a person who's been acting at it a high level longer than the three of us have ever, you know, even known what the hell was going on in the world. This is somebody who started on the stage to great acclaim, moved into films, has made countless films over the year at the highest level, Great performances. Not Dick Van Dyke. Not only that, he and I have starred together, as it turns out, in three pictures together. Which does. Only brings him down and props me up and makes me look good. He's somebody that I've just admired for so long. Cause he's such an incredible actor. And he's the star of the Nut Job, The Nut Job 2, the Lego Movie, also perhaps Schindler's List, the Taken movies. Honest Thief. He's got a new film coming out. Memory, you guys. It's Mr. Realist.

[Sean Hayes]

That's a real movie star right there.

[Liam Neeson]

Hey, Sean.

[Sean Hayes]

Wow, Good morning.

[Will Arnett]

Look at this.

[Liam Neeson]

I did love listening to you. I did love listening to you, I swear.

[Sean Hayes]

Sorry about that.

[Liam Neeson]

Jason, you play golf? I have to tell you, I'm only.

[Sean Hayes]

Because I'm trying to. I'm trying to understand how the common man lives his life.

[Will Arnett]

He's sorry for you, he said. Did you hear that? He said that he already feels pity for you. Jason.

[Sean Hayes]

I know. I'm embarrassed, but I do it. I do it for the mental anguish of it. To me, it's work. It's very hard to do.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah. Very believable.

[Sean Hayes]

Any.

[Liam Neeson]

I still don't think, as George Bernard Shaw once said, it's a good walk ruined.

[Will Arnett]

That's right.

[Sean Hayes]

It's true. That's part of the job, trying to stay positive.

[Will Arnett]

We've had our first George Bernard Shaw quote. You have already classed us up a million percent. Liam, thank you so much for being here, man. It's such an incredible honor.

[Liam Neeson]

I'm very honored myself. And I'm very, very fucking nervous.

[Will Arnett]

Don't be. Liam, let me start by this, because this is an area that Sean loves the most, which is are stories from the theater. And you have a long history of performing in the theater for many years. So, Sean, I'm gonna give you the opportunity to, right off the bat, ask Liam a theater question. Your most prized theater question.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, now I'm put on the spot. First of all, I can't even believe I'm talking to you. I know I've never met you. This is so awesome. It's so cool. And I'm nervous a little bit for me.

[Liam Neeson]

Yes.

[Jason Bateman]

So my question to you is, what is your favorite tragic theater story? I've said so many of mine on here, I'm trying to think of another one. Well, I can tell you another one, Kristen. I did a play with Kristin Chenoweth years ago. The listeners are so sick of me talking about it. And at the end of the show, we come up for our bows, and I look over from opposite wings, and Kristen and I are supposed to come from opposite sides of the stage, meet in the middle, walk down the center, and take our bow together.

[Sean Hayes]

Complicated.

[Jason Bateman]

And I never seen that before.

[Sean Hayes]

So these are the curtain calls, huh?

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Walk us through the bows. Right. Okay. Did you bump into each other? How do you avoid that?

[Will Arnett]

What were your two characters name? Promises and Promises. Right. Are those the two characters?

[Sean Hayes]

Keep going, Sean. We're a classy guest.

[Jason Bateman]

So classy. So I look over, and Kristen's not there. And I'm like, oh, my God. Everybody's clapping, waiting for us to come out. I'm like, where's Kristen? And I look over and. And she's dead. Passed out on the side on the floor. Passed out on the floor. And I'm like, what the hell happened to Kristin Shanowitz? And so I'm like, stage Manager. I'm like, do I go out? Do I wait for her? What's happening? They're trying to revive her, get her back. So I went out and took my bow by myself.

[Will Arnett]

And you're thinking, wow, I'm getting double the applause today.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. So then, so then what happened to her? She passed out because she didn't eat that day. So they gave her a candy bar and she like came back to. She did a whole show and then passed out at the end.

[Liam Neeson]

Oh my gosh.

[Jason Bateman]

When is the last time you did a live theater show?

[Liam Neeson]

Oh, my God. 14 years ago. I did a little Samuel Beckett piece called a Joe. It lasts about 25 minutes. I don't say a word. That's one of the reasons I took the job. Ralph Fiennes was. It was an evening of Beckett pieces at Lincoln Center. That was the last time.

[Jason Bateman]

And do you want to do it again or you're like, I'm good.

[Liam Neeson]

The muse has gone from me. It's left me completely.

[Will Arnett]

Really?

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah. And it's. I don't. I used to worry about it because I started off in the theater for four years, just nothing but theater and did the odd play and the Crucible and it was Beckett piece. And then about three, four years ago, it just. The muse just left me. I was offered some stuff and it's just. I love seeing my friends do it. I love.

[Sean Hayes]

You're talking about the muse for theater.

[Liam Neeson]

Muse for theater. Yes, Jason. Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

But, you know, I hear people say that about theater because the schedule is really, really challenging, but the movies you.

[Liam Neeson]

Are doing are so demanding.

[Sean Hayes]

You cannot ask for a harder genre for you to do and you do it. But you, I can understand maybe one out of every five films you're out there doing all the, all the action stuff, but my God, the, The amount of stamina that you must have and work ethic you have, discipline that you have and, and the, the shape you must be in. It's so incredibly admirable.

[Liam Neeson]

Well, thank you, sis.

[Sean Hayes]

You know, a nice little. A nice little three act drama down, down the street. I mean, come on, you. You need. You need a break.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, I.

[Sean Hayes]

Maybe some little farce comedy, you know, some. Some sort of French farce, you know. Yeah. A bunch of doors slamming, bunch of grab ass.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, that stuff, that stuff's hard to do, you know, timing wise.

[Sean Hayes]

Or get yourself a podcast. Liam, come on. Look how cozy this is.

[Will Arnett]

Liam, I'm going to tell you something. I'm 51, almost 52, and I.

[Sean Hayes]

He plays 36. He plays 36 looking at.

[Will Arnett]

Well, we won't talk about age, but I'll tell you this. I read a script the other day. They said, take a look at this. They send you. They're interested. And I read. And the first scene said, exterior, night. And I said, I'm not interested. That's a true story.

[Sean Hayes]

Liam doesn't care about that.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, I mean, it does take a lot. Those films you do.

[Liam Neeson]

Look, we've all done Takes a Village, right? I have a little routine. When I'm doing one, I get up, I exercise for 30, 35 minutes maximum.

[Sean Hayes]

That's it.

[Liam Neeson]

No more than that. And you know, when you're doing the junkets and stuff, say, oh, you do your own stunts. And I always say to them, please listen to me. I do not do my own stunts. I don't do that at all. I do my own fighting. That I like to do. Yeah, but stunts, no. You know, jumping out of windows and going over to.

[Will Arnett]

Wait, wait, wait. So you're doing your own fighting?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, the fighting's no bargain. That. That's. That's not simple.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, but it's. It's like learning a dance, Jason.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, but this. Still. I did. Actually, the last big fight I did was with Will Arnett on Arrested Development. It was supposed to be. It was supposed to be funny because it lasted so long. You know, two idiots that don't really know how to fight, they just end up on the floor wrestling. And they kept cutting back to the scene and throw. So we had to shoot it over the course of, like. I don't know, it was like a 15 minute. It literally put me in the hospital. We had to shut down for a few weeks because I was so exhausted. And this was. This was 20 years ago.

[Will Arnett]

A lot to handle. You'd say that, right?

[Sean Hayes]

You're a lot to. You got a real back on you.

[Will Arnett]

Sure.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Okay.

[Liam Neeson]

You play golf every day now?

[Sean Hayes]

I only play nine holes a day. I can't walk 18. No, that's not true.

[Jason Bateman]

But, Jay, I asked you about that last. The last episode of the latest Ozark chunk where the guy comes in and beats the crap out of you. I'm like, was that you? And you're like, no. Are you fucking kidding me?

[Sean Hayes]

No, I. For a while there, I kind of thought, oh, no, I'm gonna. If there's some kind of a stunt I wanna do, it'd be kind of. And then a stunt coordinator took me aside one day and he said, hey, guy, I know you're trying to do the right thing for camera and everything by having it be your face. But you know, you're taking money out of this guy's pocket over here who's just standing on the set ready to double you, and he gets paid take. So if you just sit there and try to be a hero, this guy's trying to make a living too. And I was like, oh, so I learned that lesson early on, Liam, I'm sure you learned it way before.

[Liam Neeson]

And it's going to make you look good.

[Sean Hayes]

Exactly.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. He's going to make you look good.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. On top of it all. Yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

So when Will kind of said that you guys on nut jobs up. You've got to look for some of those jobs sometimes that are nice and cushy, maybe just with a microphone, preferably like an animated film. But even if it's on camera, maybe some sort of nice domestic, you know, dramedy or something.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, but I don't get to kill people. You know, you could have a dream.

[Sean Hayes]

Sequence right in the middle of like a Thanksgiving dinner, you know.

[Liam Neeson]

That's true.

[Sean Hayes]

Uh huh.

[Jason Bateman]

Liam, wait. You touched on something I wanted to ask you about, which was obviously you've done tons and tons of such phenomenal work in your life and your career. And one of the biggest ones out of all of them was of course, Schindler's List and. And with Ralph Fiennes. And then here I am years and years later watching Clash of the Titans. And it wasn't until the end of the movie I was like, oh, wait, those two were in Schindler's List too. Like, that's how great you are. I completely forgot that you both were in another movie together. So do you have a relationship with Rafe? Like, did you know him? Did you build a friend?

[Liam Neeson]

No, Rafe, he's a really, really good friend. But I remember when we shot that, that was the first. We did two Clash of the Titans and Wrath of the Titans. Was it? And the first one was nearly 13 years ago. But when Rafe comes on, he's playing Hades, you know, the God of hell. And I'm Zeus, the God of gods. He comes and he's my brother. I couldn't do the same. I couldn't look him straight in the eyes. I had to keep looking at his forehead.

[Jason Bateman]

Why did it make me laugh?

[Sean Hayes]

Why? Because he kept cracking you up.

[Liam Neeson]

Well, we just, you know, we're dressed in wigs and beards and all this stuff and it's like, it's like, oh, come on.

[Jason Bateman]

It was so good.

[Liam Neeson]

I couldn't do the scene with Him, I just had to keep looking at his forehead.

[Will Arnett]

There are people that you have that kind of relationship with where you have that kind of chemistry that they just make you laugh. And when I was doing Arrested, it was Tony Hale who played Buster. And we would often come into a scene together, and so we'd be on our start mark and we would be looking at us, about to give us our cue. And like, right as you could hear the dialogue, we're about to get the cue. Tony would. Would immediately kind of go into his character. If Buster, all of a sudden, he'd be standing on his.

[Sean Hayes]

Should tuck his chin and he'd go raise his eyebrows like this.

[Will Arnett]

Get ready. And as soon as he did that, I couldn't.

[Jason Bateman]

I couldn't stop laughing.

[Will Arnett]

And so I come into scenes laughing already because he's. I've just corpsed off stage. You know what I mean? Oh, God.

[Sean Hayes]

Now, speaking of people that are unprofessional and can't keep it together, Laura Linney, your friend, boy, we finally got through that show. How have you managed to stay friends, Somebody that undisciplined and untalented for so many years?

[Liam Neeson]

I know, I know. Come here. So when am I going to see series three, part two? I've seen part one. I've seen. I love the show. By the way.

[Sean Hayes]

This is of Ozark. Yeah, Ozark.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, Ozark.

[Sean Hayes]

Thank you. Yes. No, it's coming the end of April.

[Liam Neeson]

End of April.

[Sean Hayes]

I'm not sure when this is going to air, but probably right about now. And that Laura, my goodness, is she good? She's. You guys have been friends for many, many, many years, right? And she's got so many great stories about you, and I'll bet you of her. But, you know, it's just. Sorry, listener, for just a second. The listener can relate to this. Anybody. In any working experience, work environment, if you love the people that you work with, you don't spend a minute working ever. And she was just so incredible in sort of washing the whole set with her good vibes and positivity and warmth and.

[Will Arnett]

Do you think she'd say the same about you?

[Sean Hayes]

No, no, no, no, no. Between the two of us, we had. We got to something right in the middle. You guys worked together originally. Is that how you met?

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah. I'm trying to think.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Am I. Am I totally forgetting a big thing you guys did together, or was it just a social.

[Liam Neeson]

No, we did the Crucible on Broadway and then we did a film called Kinsey. He was a science researcher.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Liam Neeson]

And Laura was my wife in that. And then we did another film with Antonio Banderas. She was having an affair with him. We were married. Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

He cheated on me in Ozark too.

[Will Arnett]

I love that Liam is still angry about it.

[Jason Bateman]

It's just a movie.

[Liam Neeson]

Especially Antonio Banderas. So ugly. I was like, come on.

[Will Arnett]

It's the hallmark of it. I don't want to embarrass you, Liam, but it's a hallmark of a great movie star that you barely remember how many movies you've done or what they are. And for us, like, as sort of like fans, we're like, this is so exciting to have somebody who.

[Liam Neeson]

Well, do you know something? I'm not blowing smoke up my ass here. Just prior to Christmas past, I finished my 100th film.

[Jason Bateman]

No way. Wow.

[Liam Neeson]

Wow.

[Jason Bateman]

That's crazy.

[Liam Neeson]

I mean, Tony Hopkins used to say, anytime we see each other, give each other a hug. And I say, how's it going, Tony? And he says, ah, great. He says, I haven't been found out yet. I feel the exact same.

[Sean Hayes]

But, Liam, I'm not great at math here, but if you did four movies a year for 25 years in a row, that would give you a hundred films. So I mean, to do listener, you know, do. Doing a film as an actor is a three month shoot. So if you did four, I mean, that's. That's working 12 months a year, every year for 25 years.

[Liam Neeson]

Not really. Yeah, I mean, I started. My first little film was 1977. Jason.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. So little. Little parts count, obviously.

[Liam Neeson]

Oh, yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Was that in Ireland or was. Were you living in England by the. When you did your first film? I wanted to get into this.

[Liam Neeson]

I was actually living in Belfast. I was in the theater. There were bombs and armored cars going. It was just like, you know, it's. It's a bit. It was a bit like Ukraine. I can imagine at the minute. Yeah. And we were in. I was in this theater called the Lyric Players Theater. And we. We played six nights a week during the height of the troubles. That theater never closed. A couple of times there were bomb scares where soldiers would come in. We'd have to go out onto the street with the audience and then, okay, all clear. Go back in again and go back.

[Will Arnett]

And do the show. And what is that experience like? Because, you know, for us, obviously, you know, we're such pampered, you know, guys who have not had to experience anything like that. But to do a play in an environment like that, that must feel so far apart. Does it even feel like show business or does it feel like you're. What is your mindset? Doing a play day in and day out with real threat just outside the doors?

[Liam Neeson]

Well, my mindset was. I was just so thrilled to be acting.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

And getting paid for it.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

And it was literally as simple as that. And, you know, I was 24 when I turned professional and, you know, still pretty much a kid and you, you know, all this shit was happening out in the streets and stuff and. But I, I don't know, you just, I. I felt I was just. I was in a bubble, my own bubble of joy.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

Doing these play. We did a play. We did a different play every four weeks, you know. Wow.

[Sean Hayes]

We'll be right back.

[Jason Bateman]

Introducing Searchlight Pictures new movie, the Roses. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. Perfect couple, Ivy and Theo Rose have it all. But when Theo's career comes crashing down, just as Ivy's fame starts to skyrocket, a tinderbox of fierce competition and growing resentment threatens to destroy everything they've built if they don't destroy each other first. Directed by Jay Roach of Meet the Parents, written by Tony McNamara of Poor Things, and also starring Andy Samberg, Allison Janney, Shruti gatwa and Kate McKinnon. All's fair when love is war. The Roses in theaters everywhere August 29th. Get tickets now.

[Will Arnett]

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[Jason Bateman]

We've brought the world's best design brands.

[Will Arnett]

Together in one place.

[Jason Bateman]

From traditional to modern, indoors to out, our curated selection of furnishings and home improvements transforms every space. Get inspired with our go to Edits. Featuring expert styling tips and exclusive designer.

[Sean Hayes]

Shops where trusted tastemakers pick products they love. With fast, free full service delivery on.

[Jason Bateman]

Most items, we make it easy to.

[Sean Hayes]

Bring your vision to life.

[Jason Bateman]

Ready for extraordinary shop now on paragould.

[Will Arnett]

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[Sean Hayes]

So there at 24, who. Who was the Liam Neeson for you at 24? Who were you looking at and going, my God, if I could have a career that lasts that long and hold that amount of revel. Relevance that long and be at the top of my game at that age, now that I'm 24, I hope to be that age doing that well, who was that? Who was that North Star for you at that. At that point?

[Liam Neeson]

God, that's a good question. Well, certainly my ambition then would have been. I mean, it wasn't. I never thought of movies at all. That was really unattainable for some reason. But I thought, oh, wouldn't it be great to be in Britain's National Theatre as a regular player? You know, that was about the height of it.

[Sean Hayes]

Who was the big shot in the National Theater at that point? Was it. Does it go back too far to say John Gielgud?

[Jason Bateman]

No.

[Liam Neeson]

Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Robert Stevens, Colin Blakely, who was my hero. He was from the north of Ireland too. But it was. Yeah, it was that. It was based on theatre. And then I was Albert Finney doing.

[Sean Hayes]

Work in the National Theatre at that time.

[Liam Neeson]

No, not 1976. He did a Hamlet, which was very, very good, which I saw, I'll bet.

[Sean Hayes]

My God.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah. It just seems I've just been so lucky, Jason, and I genuinely mean that. It's just been.

[Will Arnett]

But you're doing theater and you say, and I'm glad Jason brought that up, and you said that you never had any ambition to do movies that felt like just probably so far away from where you were at that time.

[Liam Neeson]

Sure, yeah.

[Will Arnett]

But then you do a film in Belfast, your first film, and then the first time you're on a movie set, do you think, like, yeah, I could see this Seems about right. Did it feel comfortable?

[Liam Neeson]

No, I didn't have that. The first movie was for an Evangelical outreach, who were making a film in Belfast, believe it or not, of Pilgrim's Progress. Wow. John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. And apparently the little film is still touring Africa and stuff, you know, to get converts and stuff.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, wow.

[Liam Neeson]

Wow. The evangelical religion. And I remember there's a place called Cave Hill that sort of overlooks the city of Belfast. And I was playing Jesus Christ. Sure, okay. I actually am crucified. So I was on a cross with a fake crown of thorns and stuff in my hands with makeup, false nails stuck in them and stuff. And I remember thinking, why are they not rolling the camera? Why are they not saying action and stuff? And they were all the team of the evangelical people, they were all praying. Oh, wow. I was standing there and I was like, my arms were getting so shaky. And I'm looking down on Belfast and I'm seeing armored cars going up and down and sirens going and stuff. And thinking, this is fucking crazy. But I love it.

[Sean Hayes]

Yearning for a nice little one act.

[Will Arnett]

Yes. And you're thinking, I finally made it.

[Liam Neeson]

That's so funny.

[Will Arnett]

So then you move to England and you start your film career in England, really in earnest at that point. Yeah, I mean, that was.

[Liam Neeson]

No, I moved down to Dublin and was fortunate enough to do a couple of plays there. And then I joined the Abbey Theatre, which was Ireland is Ireland's national theater. I guess I was there for a while and I did a production of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Man. And John Boorman, the film director who lives in Ireland, he came to see it and he was putting together this film, Excalibur, Arthurian Legends. And he asked me what I play, Sir Gawain. And I was in this film and with the shining suits of armor, myself, my best buddy, Kieran Hines, was Sherlot. And the bug really got me down. I thought, this is just.

[Will Arnett]

But it must be. I mean, you started your first film role, you're playing Jesus. I mean, everything after that is kind of a step down. I mean, when he comes to you, he says, do you want to play this night? You're like, guy, I was Jesus in the last one.

[Sean Hayes]

How do you even prepare an audition to play Jesus? I mean, practicing your faces in the mirror playing Jesus Christ, I would not really know where to go. How did he even research that?

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, I don't know how I can see the gentleman's face. Mr. Anderson. I think it was Ken Anderson who was in charge of this little outreach. And I didn't do an audition. I just met him and he Knew I was Catholic, Irish Catholic, and we never really spoke about professional questions. And this shoot was only about three weeks or something.

[Sean Hayes]

You know, you just reminded me there. I had a vision of Will, didn't you play Jesus Christ unarrested for one of your illusions? Didn't. Job had, like, some sort of a religious themed illusion, and I remember you in some sort of a loincloth.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. And then I went into the cave and I was gonna come back, and then I got stuck in there and started whining. Yeah, it was a really. It was a very. Not a very well thought out illusion by my.

[Sean Hayes]

And you ate nothing but plums and turnips for a few weeks just to prepare for that scene.

[Will Arnett]

They ended up finding me because I got. There was a false sort of back on the cave that I had put on the stage. And then they ended up. They were one of those storage facilities and they were doing one of those faux. You know, those shows where they go into storage facilities and they auction off all this stuff and they find this rock and they find me living in there sort of months later. I've been thinner and I was very thin at the time. And then. But Liam, you mentioned Tony Hopkins and for Tracy in Wisconsin, by the way, Liam, if you're not. I don't imagine you're a listener of the podcast, but Tracy is Sean's sister in Wisconsin. So anytime we mention something that people might not know, we talk to Traci.

[Sean Hayes]

And explain to her specifically the inside baseball of Sean.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

So Tracy, Tony Hopkins is Sir Anthony Hopkins, and you worked together the first time, I imagine, on the Bounty, is that right?

[Liam Neeson]

That's right. It was the Bounty. And we shot it in Moorea, which is an island, beautiful island, just off Tahiti. And, oh, my God, I turned 31, so I turned 70 in June of this year. So that's a bunch of years ago.

[Will Arnett]

First of all, you look incredible.

[Sean Hayes]

Please let me be. Yeah, at 7.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, you look incredible. I know, but so you meet. So you're there and you've only made a few films at that point. Am I right? You've made sort of five or six films.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, I'd done some stuff in Ireland and some miniseries in England.

[Will Arnett]

But now you're there and you're in Tahiti with Tony Hopkins and Mel Gibson.

[Liam Neeson]

Tony and Mel, Daniel Day Lewis, a whole bunch of great British actors.

[Sean Hayes]

And you had trouble casting it, huh?

[Liam Neeson]

Real trouble.

[Sean Hayes]

But, yeah, but you made do.

[Will Arnett]

What was that experience like making? I loved that. I bring it up just because I loved that. Film so much. I remember as a, as a youth, I watched it many times.

[Liam Neeson]

Oh, gosh. Yeah, it was good. It was six day weeks. And I just, we all just loved Tony because he, as well as being, you know, Captain Bligh, he played brilliantly. He took, he took care of us, he took care of his crew. And a lot of the crew were guys just fresh out of drama school in England, you know, first job and there you are in Tahiti, you know. But Tony just took care of us. And I'll never forget that quality he had. And we had a great director, Roger Donaldson from New Zealand. But he, and Tony didn't get on terribly well because he would do endless takes. Like I remember one day, 27 takes of hoisting the princess, Tahitian Princess, up onto the Bounty. Oh, God, like 27 takes and the sun beating down and stuff. And what's the point of my story? It was just great. It was a great experience. But we all started developing that. What's the opposite of cabin fever when you're surrounded by water all the time? There's a scientific, there's a medical name for it. So if somebody sent you out a newspaper from Britain or Ireland, you would read this from COVID to cover.

[Will Arnett]

Sure.

[Liam Neeson]

And then someone would, you'd give it to your friend to read to. By this stage, the newspaper's a week old 10 days ago. And then you'd start. I'd say, richard, where's my paper? I said, but you read it, you finished it, it doesn't matter, I want it back. So there was, you know, we were there for three months, so we were just all starting to get on each other's nerves.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. If you watch the Bounty today, do you think you would have notes for your performance? Has your style of acting changed over the years? That, that, that presupposes that you watch what you do. Are you one of those actors that watches what you do? Because some, some don't like to.

[Liam Neeson]

I don't. I do. I, I like to say at least once. I mean, if I'm playing the lead. Yeah, yeah, I, I'd watch it at least a couple of times, but that's it.

[Sean Hayes]

This is while you're shooting, Right. You'll watch one of the playbacks to see if you're kind of on the right track.

[Liam Neeson]

No, I, I don't do that. Yeah. I don't. Unless it's some technical thing where the director needs me to be on the left and I think, no, I should be on the right of this character.

[Sean Hayes]

For example, but you'll watch the final product, though?

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah. Yeah, I would watch it.

[Sean Hayes]

So what about your. So what about your style? I just. I asked that. Cause I'm so. I get so cringy when I look at the old stuff that I've done, and I say, oh, my God. I do it so differently today because you have such a. Such a wide body of work. I'd imagine it would be pretty fun or scary or what, for you to look at all the stuff you've done way back when.

[Liam Neeson]

Oh, God. Yeah. It's overacting, isn't it? I don't know if you ever feel loud. Anytime I see something, I think, oh, God.

[Sean Hayes]

That's what I notice. I try to do is do less and less every year.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

If I do something I used to, when I was younger, would watch. Would watch it once, and now I don't watch anything. I do. And if somebody comes up to me says, that was really good, I'll check it out, but if nobody says that to me, I don't need to see it.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, but, Sean, you were on a very popular comedy sitcom for many years.

[Jason Bateman]

The Millers.

[Sean Hayes]

Yes.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, the Millers that we were on together. And we. You were, like, in. You know, in the top. One of the top shows for many years, and it was. It would be hard to avoid that. I never asked you this. So how did you avoid that? You must have seen episodes of your show when it was on the air, because it was kind of everywhere.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. Liam, take a seat just for a second. I would. No, I would want. I would. Yes, you're right. The reruns. When they used to have reruns and all that stuff, and it is hard to avoid. But the reboot of the Will and Grace. Three seasons. I haven't seen one episode. Just because.

[Will Arnett]

Just like everybody else.

[Sean Hayes]

I was there, just like everyone else. I heard that. So you wouldn't have viewing parties, Sean, of your stuff? No.

[Jason Bateman]

Maybe when I was, like, 27 and I was on. Liam, I want to ask you something. You know, with the. Because you mentioned 100 films. It's just an unbelievable accomplishment. There has to be an award for that or something, or we'll make one for you and send it.

[Liam Neeson]

And by the way, that includes, you know, narrating documentaries.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, but that's.

[Sean Hayes]

And let's not forget the one you did with my sister called Satisfaction, where she played a little rock and roll star and.

[Will Arnett]

Wait, is that it?

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. She played. She played the lead of a band. And what did you. I Forget.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, I saw that movie.

[Sean Hayes]

Did you play the. The manager? The band manager or something?

[Liam Neeson]

No, I. I was a retired ex, kind of Keith Richards sort of guy.

[Jason Bateman]

That's funny.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah. I think they wanted me to manage, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

You did not submit that. That year for Academy consideration, did you? No, no, no, I don't.

[Will Arnett]

Wait, Jason, I remember that film. That was your sister's kind of breakout attempt from family.

[Jason Bateman]

I remember that film.

[Sean Hayes]

I think Julia Roberts was in the film too. I think Julia. Was it like 30 years ago?

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, it must have been a long time ago. Julia. I know. Julia was. Julia was 19.

[Sean Hayes]

Wow.

[Liam Neeson]

So that made me. I was 30, 34.

[Jason Bateman]

How do you do? You're crazy with numbers. How do you remember 31 years old, 19 years old.

[Sean Hayes]

He's like. Well, Arnett, are you one of those people that can remember what you did? Like April of last year versus June of last year?

[Liam Neeson]

No, no, that. I can't.

[Sean Hayes]

Will Arnett can't.

[Will Arnett]

I can. Yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

Names. Names, too. The older I get, I have real trouble with names. And even if I'm calling my sisters, I have three sisters get their names completely.

[Sean Hayes]

It's tough. I know.

[Will Arnett]

Jason's the same with names. Well, Jason's the same with faces.

[Jason Bateman]

I was just gonna say, I think.

[Sean Hayes]

I discovered my smallest dog yesterday, who, you know, we've had for eight years now. I think he's got facial blindness. Right. Whatever that thing is. He barks at me every day and usually about 30 seconds after he just saw me last. And he'll look at me like I'm a stranger that's just broken in through the side window and I'm coming in to do a lot of damage. I'm like, guy, I just fed you.

[Jason Bateman]

The actor in you wants desperately for him to recognize you.

[Sean Hayes]

Please. I walk around with my headshot, and it's signed, want it?

[Will Arnett]

I watched you always have a stack of head shots with you, which I. I admire. I think that takes a lot of.

[Sean Hayes]

You try to disarm some sort of unfriendly.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, yeah. But, Jason, your dog's interesting. May.

[Sean Hayes]

Maybe it's.

[Liam Neeson]

That is interesting. I adore dogs. That's fascinating.

[Sean Hayes]

I do too, but not this one.

[Will Arnett]

Jason, by the way, speaking of your dog, I met this guy yesterday, you know, Frank, your dog.

[Sean Hayes]

A top dog.

[Will Arnett]

Your top dog. I met a guy yesterday, and this is a true story. I forgot to tell you. And he said, my dog is Jason's dog, Frank's brother. And I said, no kidding? And he said, yeah, the guy who I. Oh.

[Sean Hayes]

First of all, my dog's name is Hank. Nice to meet you. Not Frank.

[Will Arnett]

I know.

[Sean Hayes]

And so his dog is related to my dog, Hank.

[Will Arnett]

What's my dog's name?

[Sean Hayes]

Your dog's name is Petrel.

[Will Arnett]

Nice chai, Peter. You don't remember either?

[Sean Hayes]

Sha.

[Will Arnett]

Bella. Bella.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, yeah. Bella, Bella.

[Sean Hayes]

Bella. Yeah. Now, that's my other dog, who's. He recognizes me right away. He's very loving, very lovely. I don't have a problem with him. Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Anyway, Sean, we all cut you off. Sean, go.

[Jason Bateman]

No, I just was interested in our guest.

[Sean Hayes]

Favorite color, Liam. Did I guess it. Did I guess it, Sean? No. Now you've told us your funny theater story. What's your funny movie story? He's the worst thing. I'm so excited.

[Will Arnett]

I don't want to get into movie stories, but I'm surprised Sean hasn't asked this yet, because I'm fascinated. One of the great films of all time, Schindler's List, and how that experience came to be for you.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, I was gonna ask that, too.

[Will Arnett]

I know, I know.

[Jason Bateman]

Everybody wants to know it, but I don't know any stories, and it's one of my favorite films.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

I was living out in Los Angeles at the time, and my agent sent me this script, which was just breathtakingly horrible and beautiful and incredibly well written. And I knew Steven Spielberg a little bit.

[Sean Hayes]

Was it Eric Roth or Steven Zailien? One of the two.

[Liam Neeson]

Steve Zailien.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah. Thank you, Jason. Steve Zalien. And I had read for Stephen with a bunch of kids when he was casting Empire of the Sun.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, wow. Christian Bale's first movie. Right.

[Liam Neeson]

I guess he remembered me. And so I was asked to go in and meet him for Schindler's List, and. And I had, you know, because it's set in the 1940s, I hired a 40 suit, and I tried to keep my hair short and stuff. And I spent about two, two and a half hours with Stephen. And Stephen had a camera. It was just he and I in a room. And I prepared a couple of little speeches from the film, the script. And then after it was over, he said, thank you very much. And I felt great. I thought, well, if I don't get this, I've spent two and a half, three hours with one of the great movie makers of our time. And then I went to. Yeah, I went to New York after that to do a play. I had to get on the stage again, I thought you were gonna say.

[Will Arnett]

Then I went to Ed Dubevik's. And got a dream.

[Sean Hayes]

So you go to New York and do a play. How long did he make you wait?

[Liam Neeson]

Well, it was quite a few weeks. I was doing this play where I met my wife. The play was called Anna Christie. I met my wife and Stephen and his wife Kate and Kate's mom came to see the play and they came backstage afterwards, which is very sweet of them. And I opened my door and I was half undressed and stuff. I said, oh, my God, Stephen, I'm sorry. Let me put a robe on or something. And Kate's mom was quite emotional, quite teary after the, the performance, the play. And I went and just gave it a hug. Apparently on the way, when they left and they were driving back home, Kate said to Stephen, that's just what Schindler would have done. Now, Stephen told me, no, it was your audition that got you the part. But I like the story of that's what Schindler would have done. What's the great quote from the man who Shot Liberty Valance? When. When the legend becomes fact. Print the legend, you know.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

I like to think it's because I hugged Kate's mom, you know, that got me the part.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, that's great.

[Will Arnett]

And now a word from our sponsor. Theater news alert. Actors and real life buds Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are coming to Broadway, starring in the greatest play ever written about nothing. Waiting for Godot. Don't miss the exhilarating, hilarious and deeply human new production of Samuel Beckett's absurdist masterpiece, directed by Tony and Olivier award winner Jamie Lloyd. It's a 16 week limited run starting September 13th, so don't wait. Unless, of course. You ready? Unless you're waiting for Godot. Get tickets now@godot broadway.com that's G O D O-T broadway.com waiting for Godot.

[Jason Bateman]

Introducing Searchlight Pictures new movie, the Roses, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. Perfect couple Ivy and Theo Rose have it all. But when Theo's career comes crashing down, just as Ivy's fame starts to skyrocket, a tinderbox of fierce competition and growing resentment threatens to destroy everything they've built. If they don't destroy each other first. Directed by Jay Roach of Meet the Parents, written by Tony McNamara of Poor Things, and also starring Andy Samberg, Alison Janney, Shooty gatwa and Kate McKinnon. All's fair when love is war. The roses and everywhere August 29th. Get tickets now. This episode is brought to you by Sonic. You know how pickles are so often disparaged picked off the bun, never given the respect they deserve. That's why the arrival of Sonic's new Big Dill Meal is such welcome news. It comes complete with a Sonic Smasher topped with Grillo's Pickles pickle season top and a Picklorita Slush with bursting pickle juice bubbles. At long last, it's pickles. Time to brine. Get the Big Dill Meal at Sonic for a limited time. Live free. Eat Sonic. And now back to the show.

[Sean Hayes]

Working with. You've worked with so many great directors. Can you remember anything that. From any of them, I imagine Spielberg would be right near the top of it. That really kind of took your breath away. Like, ah, that is the difference in great directing versus good directing. Is there anything that was super noticeable about what he or any of the other incredible directors you've worked with have done? Their ability to make a set comfortable, the way in which they work with the crew, Anything that stands out, maybe even specifically about Stephen with that film, because it was just so finely done.

[Liam Neeson]

It was interesting with Stephen because it was the first film he had done without using a storyboard. Normally he always used his storyboard. And you can go up and see the cartoons drawn of what you're going to shoot. Yeah, he didn't. And he was telling the story of his people as Jewish people, and he was incredibly nervous.

[Sean Hayes]

He felt the responsibility of the story he was telling you.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah. And I remember the first day we finished the play here in New York on Sunday, Sunday afternoon. I flew out on Monday. And my memory, as far as I can remember, it was either Tuesday morning or Wednesday morning, like 5:30 in the morning. We were at the gates of Auschwitz, the real Auschwitz in Poland. And I think the World Jewish Congress, I think that's the right name, didn't give Stephen permission to shoot inside Auschwitz. But the production design team did a brilliant job. We shot outside of Auschwitz, but made it seem as if it was inside Auschwitz. Right.

[Jason Bateman]

I remember that story.

[Liam Neeson]

And I was dressed in a big fur coat and hat and nice and warm, even though it was unbelievably cold. And this train was coming in and all these extras were coming out as Jewish people and German extras with guard dogs. And it was terrifying. It was terrifying. And I remember I was waiting to do my bit and I walked down, you know, by the barbed wire fences and looking inside at the huts that the Jewish people were crammed into all those years ago. And I was just looking. And Branko Lustig, who was one of the producers, he's Dead. Now go dressed him. But he came up to me and said, how do you feel? I said, yeah, I'm okay, Branko. I'm warm enough and just looking forward to starting. And we were looking at the huts, and he pointed out to a hut and said, see that one there? Third one from the left. I'm making this up now. But he said, that's where I was.

[Jason Bateman]

No way.

[Liam Neeson]

At the age of six. Well, I just lost it.

[Jason Bateman]

Wow.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, I lost it. My knees started to shake and I thought, fuck, this isn't acting. This isn't a fucking movie. This is a piece of history we're telling here. And I'm not worthy. I just kept saying to myself, I'm not fucking worthy. I'm a fucking Irish actor. I should go back to Ireland. Go back into the. The. Am I doing here dressed up in this big fur coat and here to save these Jewish people? It was terrifying, but Stephen was great. And it's a little scene where I pull one of these girls, little Jewish girls up, because these prisoners shouldn't have been sent to Auschwitz. They're supposed to be working in my factory because Oskar Schindler had this armaments factory and he was there to save their lives, otherwise they were gonna die in Auschwitz. So I go up to this guard and say, how dare you do this? These are my people. They have to go back. And I'm shaking. And I pulled a little girl up, and I was doing it too gently because she was freezing, this little actress. And Steven came over to me and said, you gotta just listen, stop the niceness. Grab her, pull her up. Her life's at stake here, you know? So I had to. I apologized to her. I said, look, I'm going to grab you quite roughly, pull you up so that this guard sees you. She was only about 7 or 8 years of age. And I'm supposed to say to the guard, I need this little girl. Look, those small hands, so they can clean the inside of metal casings for the armaments. But I could never quite say the line. Right.

[Sean Hayes]

You're speaking in German at this point. Right, right.

[Liam Neeson]

Supposed to be, yeah, put in English. But anyway, I'm rambling. Jason. I love. All the directors are different, you know.

[Will Arnett]

They'Re all, listen, Liam, I have such a. You just reminded me the first time I saw that film, because I've seen it a few times, like a lot of people. So incredibly moving. Hearing you talk about. I can't imagine feeling that. And it comes across that sense of responsibility that you felt in that moment. And I remember I was at the theater, the old Chelsea Theater. I don't think it's called that anymore, but on 23rd at 8th Avenue. I was living in New York and.

[Liam Neeson]

Oh, yes.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. And I remember I was seeing that film and there was that moment where there's the chaos of everybody coming off the train and stuff, and everybody's freaking out. Nobody knows what's going on. And at that very moment in the theater itself, the fire alarm went off. So they've got those little lights that are blinking and there's a sound going and the blinking. And it was almost like it happened.

[Liam Neeson]

Wow.

[Will Arnett]

You know that it was part of the film and people started freaking out in the theater and people were openly weeping because it just heightened an already very heightened moment, and it made everybody. And it forever changed the way. It was just such a visceral thing to actually have happen in that moment. And.

[Liam Neeson]

Yes.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

What do you. What do you. What do you get into that is. That is not really. Really hard work like you usually do.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. Are you still boxing, too? Is that part of your regimen?

[Liam Neeson]

I have a bag. Well, I have a gym and I use a bag sometimes, but I just like to read. I'm an avid reader, you know.

[Sean Hayes]

Really?

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Wow. You guys are. We're very similar. Liam.

[Sean Hayes]

Easy, Will.

[Will Arnett]

No, Liam and I are very similar. I like to read. And I also have a bag right out the door here. Jason has a bag, but he keeps it behind the toilet. And he just goes in there for a couple minutes at a time. Or he plays path the bag with one of his Hollywood friends.

[Sean Hayes]

But don't use too much of it. Yeah. I gotta get through the night. Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Liam. What? I would like to ask this question. What drugs have you dabbled in? Because here's the thing. When you. Here's the thing.

[Sean Hayes]

He's our secret weapon, Liam. He's the best. Keep going. Sorry, Sean.

[Jason Bateman]

No, please. When you're doing, like you said, 100 things, like 100 films or whatever, docs and everything.

[Sean Hayes]

Sure.

[Jason Bateman]

And you're traveling and the time changes, the night shoots and this stuff. When you were younger, you're like, how am I going to get through this? You had to have, like, partaken into something to get through all of those many, many films of just endless mushrooms.

[Sean Hayes]

Are you Cindy Adams? What is going on?

[Will Arnett]

Did you want him to admit to drug use?

[Jason Bateman]

I'll talk to you about the. We've talked about the drugs we took. I took mushrooms.

[Sean Hayes]

Tell Rona Barrett what the last time you participated in some Sort of illicit drug use.

[Jason Bateman]

You don't have to answer that if you don't want.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay, I'll bet. I'll bet. I'll bet. I'll bet the way you stay up and pepe nowadays is all that exercise. I'll bet you eat well. Sounds like you're staying nice and sane with lots of reading. It doesn't sound like you're doing a lot of things to slow yourself down or hurt yourself, huh?

[Liam Neeson]

Nah, that's about it. It's very boring. I mean, I fly fish. I love to do that whenever I get a chance.

[Will Arnett]

We should hook you up with Jimmy Kimmel.

[Sean Hayes]

Jimmy Kimmel.

[Liam Neeson]

Jimmy is. Yes. I'm gonna go to Jimmy's lodge sometime this year. I don't know when. I was supposed to go last year.

[Sean Hayes]

There's a big group of us going in a few months. We're gonna send you the invite. Come on up.

[Will Arnett]

We're gonna go this summer, and you can teach.

[Liam Neeson]

Are you really?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Swear to God.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah. It looks spectacular.

[Sean Hayes]

It's stunning. It's. It's. He's really done a great job with it.

[Liam Neeson]

Oh, that's terrific. I can't.

[Will Arnett]

Wait, Wait, Sean, do you. Sean, you still want to know about Liam's drug use, right?

[Jason Bateman]

No.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, yeah. Sorry. Sorry, Sean.

[Jason Bateman]

No, no, no.

[Liam Neeson]

I.

[Sean Hayes]

You don't have to answer his garbage question, Liam. Interesting. You just.

[Liam Neeson]

No, no, it's. It's fair enough. And I'm not trying to avoid it. I. I just. Certainly when I was in Ireland, in the theater, after shows, we'd go to the local pub, you know, and. Have I adored Guinness? Absolutely adored it.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. Same.

[Liam Neeson]

And then you turn a certain age and it sticks to you. Do you know what I mean? You start putting on weight, and it's like, oh, my God.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

And I switched to red wine. I absolutely adored that.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Does that put. That puts on less. Less weight. But there's the hangovers. Not as fun, right? Yeah, it's all that sugar.

[Liam Neeson]

I stopped drinking eight. Yeah. Just over eight years ago.

[Will Arnett]

Wow.

[Liam Neeson]

I must say, I don't miss it.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, that's good.

[Will Arnett]

Same here. We don't drink. I don't drink. I don't drink. Basically out of vanity, I can admit that. But that's okay.

[Sean Hayes]

What's the remaining vices for all of us? I mean, it's pathetic. With me, it's like sugar and, like, crunchy, salty snacks and, you know.

[Jason Bateman]

Jay.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Oh, golf. No.

[Jason Bateman]

Hot gummies.

[Liam Neeson]

Oh.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Gummies. Well, I mean, is that a vice? I don't know. It's legal nowadays, Jason.

[Will Arnett]

Like, have you tried those lima. Have you tried the gummies with the.

[Liam Neeson]

THC in it and the cbd? No, I have gummies with the CBD and a little bit of melatonin. I take those every night.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, puts you right out.

[Liam Neeson]

I do have trouble sleeping.

[Will Arnett]

Jason's got some other stuff for you. And the first one's free.

[Sean Hayes]

First one's free. I'm just gonna, just stay on afterwards. Let me get your P.O. box or something. You people still use P.O.

[Will Arnett]

Boxes? You like, you like weed? You like to smoke weed every once in a while?

[Jason Bateman]

Well, I don't, I haven't smoked in years. I can't smoke it anymore. But, but I do, I do eat the, the gu.

[Will Arnett]

The gummies as well. You don't mind that? And then what's your other advice? You like. You don't drink coffee? Do you drink coffee, Liam? Are you a coffee guy?

[Liam Neeson]

No, I, I, I give up caffeine. I know. So boring.

[Will Arnett]

No, you're very disciplined.

[Liam Neeson]

I don't, I'm constantly this. It's a mug.

[Jason Bateman]

What is that?

[Liam Neeson]

Okay, it's a Stanley mug. I adore them. It keeps my black decaf tea hot for five or six hours. Oh, and it's also my little security blanket. You know what I mean? I take it on set. I try and get it into every movie.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, you do?

[Will Arnett]

You try to get in. Do you ever smash guys in the face with it?

[Liam Neeson]

Because you're in these actions, including Clash of the Titans. That's going to happen.

[Sean Hayes]

Are you doing anything currently that you're embarrassed of? Any crappy TV you're watching? You say you read a lot. Are you reading a comic book that you're not proud to reveal to anybody?

[Liam Neeson]

No crime. I'm still into my Nordic noir crime.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, no, here comes, like, Nesbo, Nesbo and those guys.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, Nesbo's good. And Henning Mankel, who passed away, I've had four years ago. He was extraordinary. And I just played Philip Marlow in my last film, so I, I had never read, much to my shame, Raymond Chandler before, so I read most of his stuff for preparation.

[Jason Bateman]

I guess Will has met his match with the smokiest voice on this podcast. Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

Do you guys do any voiceover work?

[Will Arnett]

We've done three. We've done three films together. It should be. And the other. And we've never met. And also we were talking before about Ralph Fiennes. He also was in Lego Batman and played Alfred to my Batman. And we had a lot of scenes together.

[Liam Neeson]

Oh, I didn't know that.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. And we have yet to meet. And I'm just such a fan. I can't wait.

[Liam Neeson]

It's terrific.

[Sean Hayes]

Liam, do you do any voiceover work other than the animation? Every once in a while. Are you the voice of any particular product on television? You do any commercial stuff? You know, because Will talks about GMC trucks all the time, and lucky for them, he's still doing it.

[Liam Neeson]

I don't. I. I like doing documentaries and I've done quite a few of those and products. No, you should.

[Will Arnett]

My God, Liam, you would clean.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Have you done any of the Ken Burns documentaries?

[Liam Neeson]

I. Yes, I have, actually. During lockdown, I did. Oh, there's one on Anne Frank that's coming out. Oh, that's cool. I played Anne Frank's father. Just a few lines. And the current one on Benjamin Franklin, I think has come out. I have a small part.

[Jason Bateman]

Is that one out yet or.

[Sean Hayes]

No, not yet.

[Liam Neeson]

Ken Burns is a genius.

[Sean Hayes]

He's been on the show. He was incredible guests.

[Will Arnett]

We had him on.

[Liam Neeson]

You did?

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

And he's so erudite and he's just.

[Will Arnett]

Did you see the Ali.

[Sean Hayes]

Muhammad Ali one?

[Liam Neeson]

I haven't seen that one yet, I have to say. And Muhammad Ali was. Is always will be my idol. Always was.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. That documentary is incredible. The one he did On World War II is incredible too. Called the war.

[Liam Neeson]

World War II, but the American Civil War. I have to watch that at least once a year.

[Will Arnett]

It's incredible.

[Liam Neeson]

And it came out, I don't know, 25 years ago or something.

[Will Arnett]

Well, I love that you love Muhammad Ali because you were. And I mentioned before, you did box a little bit amateur boxer for a couple years there.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, I started when I was nine, I think I had my last fight when I was like 17 or something. Wow.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, my God. That's old enough to get hurt.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, it was starting to hurt.

[Sean Hayes]

It was because, like, kids punch each other all the time. But then you become a teenager and you gotta really. You gotta really be pissed off if you're gonna get into that, because you can get hurt. So. But boxing. So you were boxing as a young adult or adult. Right.

[Liam Neeson]

I mean, well, at the age of 13, 14, I started to shoot up. I mean, I'm 6 foot 4 and I. Then I guess I was about 6 foot 3 or something. And the punches were. Yeah, they were starting to hurt, you know, And I remember once coming, we had a tournament in our little local parochial hall in my hometown back in Ireland. And I was boxing this guy, and I actually won the fight. But I felt in my heart of hearts I didn't win that fight. But when I came out of the ring, my trainer said, okay, Liam, go on downstairs and put your clothes on. And I was.

[Sean Hayes]

And fix your face.

[Liam Neeson]

But I didn't know what he meant. Clothes. Oh, no, go down. It was weird. And that was like a kind of a strange concussion, you know? So that was my last fight. I knew enough to think, fuck this, I'm getting out of this.

[Jason Bateman]

You know, I did. A friend of ours, Lisa Kudrow, produced this show called who do youo Think youk Are? It traces your ancestry.

[Sean Hayes]

Did she hit you hard in the face during the shooting of that?

[Jason Bateman]

And all of my ancestors, you know, from Ireland, I'm Irish as well, and we went over to Ireland. Everybody is a drunk and a thug. Everybody fought and just fights.

[Will Arnett]

Well, there we go. There's a great quote. Thanks, Sean.

[Jason Bateman]

No, of my ancestors. Of my ancestors.

[Sean Hayes]

Your ancestors? Not everyone in the country.

[Jason Bateman]

No, not everybody Irish. But all my ancestors were just thugs and drunks. And it's like, why is everybody. I don't know.

[Sean Hayes]

Know.

[Jason Bateman]

Everybody just seems to be. Loves to be in fights.

[Sean Hayes]

Where.

[Liam Neeson]

Where are they from, Sean? Where. Where do your family hang?

[Jason Bateman]

Dingle and.

[Liam Neeson]

Oh, Dingle.

[Jason Bateman]

Beautiful County Kerry and. Yeah, all around.

[Sean Hayes]

You ever go back there, Sean?

[Jason Bateman]

Just for that. The show I did, it was just a fight.

[Will Arnett]

Just to fight.

[Sean Hayes]

It's so pretty over there, right?

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, it's unbelievable. I think it's like the.

[Liam Neeson]

Oh, Dingle. Dingle's very, very special.

[Jason Bateman]

My grandfather's from Dingle.

[Will Arnett]

And beautiful fruit from there, the dingleberries. Have you tried? No.

[Sean Hayes]

No, Will.

[Will Arnett]

I'm thinking of something else.

[Liam Neeson]

You are?

[Will Arnett]

We've taken way too much of your time. You're. We could talk to you forever. You're just such a fascinating guy and one of those. Just such a great performer, and I'm just in awe of your talent and.

[Liam Neeson]

Shut up. Shut up.

[Sean Hayes]

Thank you for such a kind, kind man, too. So thank you for spending some time with us on your off day here.

[Jason Bateman]

Thank you, Liam.

[Liam Neeson]

Jason, can I say to you, I know I said this to you before when I saw you at the Guards a couple of years ago, Three years ago or something. Please give Victoria, your mom my love.

[Sean Hayes]

Now he's showing off. This guy is the nicest guy in the world. He meets my mother one time on a Pan Am flight. She was a stewardess for a flight attendant for Pan Am. Twenty years later, he runs into me. He's never met me before, but I guess she had mentioned once she had met him that I was her son. So this is 20 years later, we're back at a Ranger game at Madison Square Garden, and I see. I see Liam Neeson. I'm like, oh, my God. I'd totally forgotten that my mother had said anything, that she'd met him. He stops me, he says, hey, hey, you're Jason. I met your mother X number of years ago on a plane. And how is she? Is she doing. Remembered her name. It just knocked me out. And then when I told my mother that, she cried for a week. I mean, yeah. So thank you so much for being such a kind man.

[Liam Neeson]

No, please. And Justine, too. Please, please give them my love.

[Sean Hayes]

I will tell her for sure.

[Liam Neeson]

And it's something. And I can't quite remember, Jason, but it was a flight from either Los Angeles to London, Pan Am, which doesn't exist, of course, or from London to la. I can't remember. And I was very vulnerable. Not because I have a fear of flying. I don't. Something was happening. And for some reason, Victoria, your mom, spotted something in me and she just took care of me.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

She'd bring me tea and check on me every so often, and I'll just never forget it, you know? And I was. She was.

[Sean Hayes]

But look at both these very special. Just writing jokes. As soon as you said, take care of me, they both of them wrote about.

[Will Arnett]

Luckily, he followed up and said with. With a cup of tea.

[Sean Hayes]

They put their pens down.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

No, she was very accommodating.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Well, that's very sweet. It's. It's so great. And again, Liam, such a fan, and thank you so much.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, it was such an honor than.

[Will Arnett]

Honestly.

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah, it's an honor to talk with you, the three of you. Thank you so much.

[Jason Bateman]

Thanks.

[Sean Hayes]

You say hi to Laura if you talk to her before I do.

[Liam Neeson]

I sure will.

[Sean Hayes]

I love her so much.

[Liam Neeson]

She's going over to Ireland, I think, in May to shoot a film. I'm going over there to shoot a film with my best dear friend, Kieran Hines.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, yeah.

[Liam Neeson]

We're going to shoot a film in Donegal.

[Sean Hayes]

You're not killing anybody in that, are you?

[Liam Neeson]

Oh, yeah, quite.

[Sean Hayes]

You are.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, of course.

[Liam Neeson]

Quite a few.

[Will Arnett]

Quite a few, he says. Why do you think he took the part? Is the Pope a Catholic?

[Liam Neeson]

Come on.

[Will Arnett]

The great Liam Neeson. Thank you so much. Our friend. Thanks, guys.

[Sean Hayes]

So nice of you to do this. Thank you, Liam.

[Liam Neeson]

That's great. Thanks, boys.

[Will Arnett]

Take care.

[Sean Hayes]

See you later.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, the Great. Liam Neeson.

[Jason Bateman]

When he came on the screen, I was like, what? That's so.

[Will Arnett]

What?

[Jason Bateman]

Liam Neeson. It's so, like, iconic. It's so crazy.

[Will Arnett]

When I was like, I wanted to have him on the show, and then they said. And Michael MGT Said, yeah, we're gonna have Liam Neeson. He's gonna do it. I thought, like, is this really gonna happen?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. How'd you do that, Willie?

[Liam Neeson]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

I don't know. I have no idea. I think he. I think that he thought, you know, I mean, he knew you a little bit, and he was such a fan. He talked about seeing us at the Garden another time, and he wanted to come say hi, and he did not. And his new movie memory comes out April 29, which is the guy.

[Liam Neeson]

God, he's made a really.

[Jason Bateman]

I didn't even get a chance to ask him about Star Wars.

[Will Arnett]

I know, Sean. Too bad there's not enough Star wars in the world. I know. Thank God. It's such a shame that we never had an opportunity to talk about fucking Star Wars.

[Jason Bateman]

He was in so many Star wars movies, and then he was like. He was one of those stormtroopers in Force Awakens.

[Sean Hayes]

And you spent your time with Wrath of the Titans, the sequel to Clash of the Titans.

[Jason Bateman]

That's right.

[Sean Hayes]

God, you're gonna lose your card.

[Will Arnett]

I swear, Sean, I loved. Really, out of deference to you, I wanted to start it off by asking about theater stories.

[Jason Bateman]

Thank you. I have so many.

[Will Arnett]

Because he started in the theater.

[Jason Bateman]

I know. I love that. Thank you. Yeah, I love that. I love. You'd think people would have, like, at the ready scene.

[Will Arnett]

Well, it turns out it does start to feel like the only embarrassing things in the theater happened to you.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. And Kristin Chenoweth.

[Will Arnett]

Kristen Chenoweth. In the time that you poisoned Kristin, I forget how the story went, but.

[Sean Hayes]

Maybe she just had an anxiety attack because the curtain call was such a complicated blocking. So let's just go back. So you came from either side of the. So it was sort of like a by entrance. Was it a by.

[Will Arnett]

A by entrance? Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Are we done? That's it.

[Sean Hayes]

Bi.

[Will Arnett]

I don't endorse it.

[Liam Neeson]

Smart Less Smart less.

[Will Arnett]

Smartless is 100% organic and artisanally handcrafted by Rob Armchair, Bennett Barbaco and Michael Grand.

[Liam Neeson]

Terry.

[Sean Hayes]

Smart Less.

[Jason Bateman]

Smartless is supported by FX's Dying for Sex. The hilarious and heartbreaking series follows Molly, played by Emmy nominee Michelle Williams, as she decides to leave her husband and explore her sexuality after she receives a stage four metastatic breast cancer diagnosis with nine Emmy nominations, including outstanding limited series, Dying for Sex stars Emmy nominees Michelle Williams, Jenny Slate and Rob Delaney go behind the scenes of Dying for [e-mail] FYC all episodes streaming on Hulu. Introducing Searchlight Pictures New movie the Roses, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. Perfect couple Ivy and Theo Rose have it all, but when Theo's career comes crashing down just as Ivy's fame starts to skyrocket, a tinderbox of fierce competition and growing resentment threatens to destroy everything they've built if they don't destroy each other first. Directed by Jay Roach of Meet the Parents, written by Tony McNamara of Poor Things and also starring Andy Samberg, Alison Janney, Shuti gatwa and Kate McKinnon. All's fair when Love Is War. The Roses in theaters everywhere August 29th. Get tickets now.