Liam Neeson Breaks Silence On Qui-Gon Jinn’s Famous Death Scene

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Summary

  • Liam Neeson had a successful career post-Star Wars, featuring major blockbusters and action films.
  • Neeson had some reservations about his character’s death in The Phantom Menace.
  • Neeson had a positive experience working on The Phantom Menace and enjoyed returning to the role for Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Liam Neeson is widely admired and respected by many as one of the most prominent actors of his time. For some, particularly those of a certain age group, he is primarily recognized for his role in the Star Wars franchise, where his character, Qui-Gon Jinn, unfortunately met an early demise, which Neeson reportedly didn’t enjoy.

Liam Neeson’s career can be divided into two main periods: before and after his role in “Star Wars.” In the 1980s, he started out with lesser-known roles in movies like “Excalibur,” “The Mission,” and “The Dead Pool.” Although a gifted actor, he didn’t quite capture the attention of a mass audience. However, everything changed with the release of “Schindler’s List” in 1993, which catapulted him to fame as a go-to actor for prestigious Hollywood dramas such as “Nell,” “Michael Collins,” and “Les Misérables.” He then took on the leading role in “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace” in 1999, transforming into a blockbuster star. His subsequent appearances in films like “Batman Begins,” “Clash of the Titans,” and multiple “Chronicles of Narnia” movies solidified this status. The surprise success of “Taken” in 2008 further established him as an action hero, paving the way for his current career phase featuring thrillers like “The Grey,” “Non-Stop,” and “Run All Night.” More recently, Neeson has even ventured into comedy with roles in films like “The Naked Gun.” In essence, Liam Neeson has achieved it all.

Liam Neeson recently had an extensive career conversation with GQ. This provided the iconic actor an opportunity to recount his work on notable films such as Schindler’s List and Darkman, along with lesser-known projects. His insights about portraying Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace were particularly intriguing. “I felt my death scene was overly sentimental,” he explained further. “As a Master Jedi, you would expect more from me! My character was easily fooled: ‘I’m coming for your face!’ ‘No, I’m not, I’m going for your stomach!’ ‘Oh, got me!’ It seems unbelievable. ‘Oh, please.’ A true Master Jedi shouldn’t have acted in such a way.

Liam Neeson Was Not Wild About Qui-Gon Jinn’s Death Scene In The Phantom Menace

Let’s Be Honest: He Should’ve Been Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anyway

Liam Neeson appeared to relish his experience working on Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, despite some reservations about Qui-Gon’s death scene. An amusing anecdote he shared was that during their first lightsaber scenes with Ewan McGregor, they both started making the signature sounds orally, which made George Lucas remark that it wasn’t necessary as the sounds could be added later. Furthermore, Neeson suggested that Lucas isn’t fond of directing and finds enjoyment in the editing process only after he starts working on it.

It feels great to step into that role again after such a long gap, around 18 or 20 years, and work alongside Ewan, don’t you think? Given his impressive career trajectory since Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace made a significant impact on cinemas worldwide, it’s understandable that he cherishes his time in a distant galaxy.

The majority of the Star Wars franchise is currently available to stream on Disney+.

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2025-08-04 01:34