Why Liam Neeson has never turned down voiceovers

The actor says he has been lending his voice to projects since 1975. Be it radio, TV commercials or films, he has done it all

Action roles might be his calling, but there is something about voiceovers that Irish actor Liam Neeson (right) can’t turn them down. “I love it. I’m not saying I have the best voice in the world, but sometimes it lends well to certain projects. I’ve been doing voice work since I turned professional in Northern Ireland in 1975-1976. I used to do commercials for local radio stations and stuff like that. When I moved to London, between roles on stage or on TV or on film, I’d do little radio plays. Then I narrated documentaries,” says the 64-year-old, who last voiced the Monster in the film A Monster Calls. The Taken star says he could relate to the film’s script. “I remember when JA Bayona (the film’s director) showed me the bust of what he wanted the creature to look like, the Monster’s nose was broken in some places. So I thought, it would be fun to match his voice, as well as the way he breathes, to that. I rate Patrick’s book along with the best of Oscar Wilde. His parables and fairy tales are also like The Brothers Grimm. I was captivated by the story,” says Neeson, who has also done voiceovers in films such as The Lego Movie (2014) and the first two installments of the Narnia film franchise . He was blown away by his latest project, so much so, that he says: “There wasn’t a frame I would have changed in that film. I’m a big fan of myths and legends. The Yew tree is featured in many pieces of Irish literature and fairy tales. It’s an ancient tree that heals and there’s a lot that I could relate to.”

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