Liam Neeson

format_quote Well, I think I've made 44 films and only like four times I've played real characters I'm just drawn to people who have a pioneer spirit, this extraordinary energy and commitment to their cause.

stars  Was considered for the part of Dracula in the cult classic The Monster Squad (1987).

stars  Was a boxer as a teen-ager in Northern Ireland, which resulted in getting his nose broken at the age of 15. Nevertheless, he went on to win the Irish Youth Championship. A brief blackout after one of his fights, however, caused him to give up the ring for good.

stars  Has worked together repeatedly with Laura Linney, including in Kinsey (2004), Love Actually (2003), and in a Broadway revival of "The Crucible", having played husband and wife in Kinsey (2004) and "The Crucible". The two have joked about feeling like "an old married couple".

stars  A member of the Dublin Shakespeare Theatre Festival where his past credits include "Hamlet", "King Richard II" and "All's Well That Ends Well".

stars  Was chosen for the role of Gawain in Excalibur (1981) primarily because director John Boorman wanted a large man in the role for the duel between Gawain and Lancelot (Nicholas Clay). It was on this film where he met Helen Mirren, who was playing Morgana.