Liam Neeson Interview For ‘The Grey’

In ‘The Grey,’ Liam Neeson leads an unruly group of oil-rig roughnecks when their plane crashes into the remote Alaskan wilderness. Battling mortal injuries and merciless weather, the survivors have only a few days to escape the icy elements – and a vicious pack of rogue wolves on the hunt – before their time runs out. Directed by Joe Carnahan (The A-Team, Smokin’ Aces), ‘The Grey’  is set for release January 27th. Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts, Joe Anderson, Nonso Anozie, and James Badge Dale co-star.

What spoke to you about this role? And how was it working with the other guys in this ensemble?

Liam Neeson: There was something very primal about the story that triggered me, triggered something in me in this technological age. Me and a bunch of guys, out in the elements, extreme elements, being pursued by….almost mythological wolves. Their size, their intensity, their hatred for mankind. The wolves want to pick us off one at a time. That really interested me.  The script read like a 19th Century epic poem for me, something like “The Ancient Mariner.” And also the little boy in myself, I just thought it would be great to be out with a bunch of guys on a cliff face or a rock face and doing manly things.

Something quite immediate happened with all of us as we shook each others hand, you know? And yes, we knew we were gonna go on this ride, this journey – and I know that’s a cliché but it really really was a journey in lots of ways. We all recognised that, and we all recognised each others strengths and sensitivities. It was tough but we had a good laugh.

What was it like working with Joe Carnahan the second time round after ‘The A-Team’?

Liam Neeson: I found working on ‘The A-Team’ that Joe’s passion and energy is quite phenomenal. And with this one it was doubly so. He’s got a sense of humour too (laughs), he’s an awfully funny guy. To a degree, I did get it in ‘The A-Team,’ but I had other issues. But with this, I realised that he’s a funny funny guy. He made us belly laugh so many times, and over stupid little things. We were like a little boys club laughing over silly jokes (laughs). He’s a good laugh, a great director as well.

‘The Grey’ was very much his love child, so I think he was more sensitive than he was on ‘The A-Team. ‘But he’s an alpha male, you know? He’s a throwback to those directors from the 30s and 40s, I think – Hathaway, Howard Hawks, John Ford. He’s a real throwback to those guys, and I love that in a director. And Katherine Bigelow is the same; she’s the governor. And I love having a leader, especially on a shoot like this, these conditions, you need someone who’s in charge and knows what they’re doing.

How did you find working in the harsh conditions?

Liam Neeson: I did have a couple of weak moments in the first couple of days shooting. I thought that we would never survive this. I thought that it was physically impossible because your brain would just freeze. You’ve got lines to memorise and say, actors to act with, but all you can think about is, “How can I stay warm?” Just as a human being, not as an actor. Our first week of shooting it was minus 40 degrees. I remember thinking….the scene where the airplane malfunctions and I have to sit up in the snow, that was our first day, and I thought, we’re never going to finish this film. It’s impossible. And cameras were malfunctioning and equipment wasn’t working, and I thought, “this is ludicrous.”  Then we got over that, we had a good laugh. We had a great journey, there was a lot of camaraderie.

How did you prepare yourself, in terms of the conditions and physical challenges?

Liam Neeson: I’ll tell you what I did. I remember seeing this documentary from a couple of years ago about this crazy Brit who swims from iceberg to iceberg in Antarctica. You know, you find these people sometimes, and he was this London guy, and he started preparing for these swims by standing under freezing cold showers for 10 minutes, 15 minutes every morning, and I did that. I got up to 7 minutes most mornings, and it actually works; it immunizes your body, and your body starts getting used to the cold. It really works. So that was my preparation.

The movie touches on a lot of personal fears. What’s your biggest fear? Are you scared of flying, heights…..

Liam Neeson: I’m scared of heights. Heights give me a real….you know that iconic black and white photograph of those guys sitting on a girder having their lunch break? Describing….even thinking about that now is making me uncomfortable (laughs). I get dizzy on a thick carpet, heights just don’t do it for me. That’s a big fear, actually. I can’t go on roller coaster rides with my kids, I never could. “Dad, please! Dad, please?” Sorry, I love you to death but I’m not getting on that thing. I couldn’t do it.