Cheyenne Suarez

'The Naked Gun' stars Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson on the joy of 'not taking oneself too seriously'

Article (news)

Yong Chavez

ABS-CBN News North America

Who knew gargoyles could explain the secret to great comedy?It’s not every day that a conversation about slapstick veers into medieval architecture, but Liam Neeson connects the two with surprising ease.At our recent interview, the actor with a particular set of skills, likened himself to a gargoyle, of all things, when asked if starring in a comedy like “The Naked Gun” allowed him to reveal some parts of himself that he doesn&#x27;t necessarily get to show in his other roles.“Well, it&#x27;s important to poke fun at yourself every now and again, both as a human being and as a performer. I&#x27;m reminded of cathedrals and churches that have gargoyles on the buildings,” he says, while doing an unexpectedly delightful impersonation of a gargoyle. “That&#x27;s to remind us going into the cathedral: don&#x27;t take yourself too seriously. ‘Who do you think you are? You&#x27;re that size.’ That&#x27;s what they all mean.’It’s a metaphor that somehow fits both Neeson’s gravitas and his newfound comedic looseness. Known more for gravelly threats and brooding vengeance, seeing him deliver punchlines instead of punches is a welcome surprise.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/8/1/here-in-hollywood-lessons-on-grief-from-a-life-interviewing-stars-1729">Here in Hollywood: Lessons on grief from a life interviewing stars</a></div>Sitting beside him is Pamela Anderson, who exudes a candid sort of self-awareness that makes her comedy land all the more effectively. When asked if she was underestimated early in her career, she turns the question inward.“I think I underestimated myself the beginning of my career.  I did it inside out and backwards. But you know, it’s never too late. I’m just starting my career, yeah, starting right here,” she says with a vigorous nod.In the past, Anderson has been treated as pop culture shorthand more than a performer in her own right, so now she seems to be enjoying this role precisely because it lets her do what she’s always been capable of: steal a scene.Despite the film’s zaniness, both actors emphasize the seriousness of showing up and doing the work. Comedy may look effortless, but it’s built on rehearsals, trust, and the discipline to keep a straight face.“When we rehearsed scenes, we would get the cables out of the way, we kind of kept it together. We were okay. We were good,” Neeson says, somehow suggesting that the laughs mostly come from precision, not chaos.Asked to reflect on surprises in their acting journeys, both actors come back to one core idea: luck. But not in the lottery-ticket sense.“You create your own luck. It’s not going to come to you lying on the sofa, you know, you have to get up and do something about it,” Neeson says, cutting through the noise of Hollywood mythology with a single sentence.“The Last Showgirl” star adds: “I really think it&#x27;s you just follow your passion and see what you love, and see what you&#x27;re good at. Also, it&#x27;s not just about you. People have to believe in you, too, and give you the opportunity.”One thing that Anderson says she feels lucky about was getting to work with Neeson, who returns the sentiment while nodding at her. “We had a real nice chemistry,” he says.And that, in the end, might be the key to why “The Naked Gun” works. It is a solid revival of an iconic comedy franchise, but also an endearing space where two actors from very different corners of the Hollywood universe found a common wavelength and that magic ingredient of chemistry.

“Well, it's important to poke fun at yourself every now and again, both as a human being and as a performer. I'm reminded of cathedrals and churches that have gargoyles on the buildings,” said "The Naked Gun" star Liam Neeson.

“Well, it's important to poke fun at yourself every now and again, both as a human being and as a performer. I'm reminded of cathedrals and churches that have gargoyles on the buildings,” said "The Naked Gun" star Liam Neeson.