FROM BELFAST TO HOLLYWOOD

Irish actor Liam Neeson, known for his memorable performances in big-time Hollywood blockbusters such as Schindler’s List, Star Wars and Taken, speaks to Preeti Singh about his upcoming film Silence, his association with Martin Scorsese, and his love for

Q. You are playing the character of Father Ferreira in your upcoming film Silence. How did you prepare for this role? A. In New York, before production began, as you know, Andrew [Garfield, co-actor] and I worked with Father Martin, a Jesuit consultant on the film, discussing theology, practicing church rituals, going over the spiri- tual exercises involved in the Jesuit order. I love the church. I call myself a practicing lapsed Catholic. I love going into a church, saying prayers, having a conversation with God. I’ve been intrigued by the Jesuits for 30 years, ever since I did research for another movie in the 1980s, The Mission. I was hooked by the script as soon as I read it. It’s spare. Jay Cocks and Marty [Martin Scorsese] never write a paragraph when a sentence will do. And that sentence will have texture and subtext. When I returned from shooting Silence I began reading Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion, as well as science journals which tried to explain the concept of faith through neurology. Q. Also, the film is shot in Taiwan. How was it shooting there? A. I was away from all the people and things I love in Taiwan. I didn’t really socialise and I isolated myself as much as possible. It gave me so much clarity about what and who was important to me in my life. The production started off on a terrifying note when Taipei was hit by a 6.1 earthquake and I was on the 15th floor. I walked all the way to the ground floor and realised that the frequent temblors in the region barely affect the residents. Q. Could you share your experience of working with a legend like Martin Scorsese? A. Working with Marty is a joy and an education in creative filmmaking. He gives 200% and he expects only 100% in return. Martin Scorsese commands such respect. When I first worked with him on Gangs of New York, I was intimidated by his reputation and had to work through that. This film is something Marty has