Editing Liam Neeson (section)

===1976–1993: Rise to prominence ===
After leaving university, Neeson returned to Ballymena, where he worked in a variety of casual jobs, such as a [[forklift]] operator at Guinness and a lorry driver.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Independent |first=The |date=2013-01-29 |title=Liam Neeson returns to home town of Ballymena, Northern Ireland {{!}} The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/liam-neeson-returns-to-home-town-of-ballymena-northern-ireland-8471007.html |access-date=2024-06-11 |work=The Independent |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harte |first=Lauren |date=2022-06-05 |title=Liam Neeson's career to date as actor prepares to turn 70 |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/whats-on/film-news/liam-neeson-ballymena-mans-career-24133469 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=Belfast Live |language=en}}</ref> He also attended teacher training college for two years in [[Newcastle upon Tyne]] before again returning to his hometown. In 1976, he joined the [[Lyric Theatre, Belfast|Lyric Players Theatre]] in [[Belfast]], where he performed for two years. He got his first film experience in 1977, playing [[Jesus Christ]] and The Evangelist in the religious film ''[[The Pilgrim's Progress#Dramatizations, music, and film|Pilgrim's Progress]]'' (1978). He moved to Dublin in 1978 when he was offered a part in Ron Hutchinson's ''Says I, Says He'', a drama about [[The Troubles]], at the [[Project Arts Centre]]. He acted in several other Project productions and joined the [[Abbey Theatre]] (the National Theatre of Ireland).<ref>{{Cite web |title=BFI Screenonline: Neeson, Liam (1952-) Biography |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/490910/ |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref> In 1980, he performed with Stephen Rea, Ray McAnally and Mick Lally, playing Doalty in Brian Friel's play ''[[Translations (play)|Translations]]'', the first production of Friel's and Rea's Field Day Theatre Company, first presented in the Guildhall in [[Derry]] on 23 September 1980.<ref>{{cite book |title=Translations |first=B. |last=Friel |year=1981 |location=London |publisher=Faber and Faber |isbn=978-0-57111-742-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/translations00frie_1 }}</ref>

In 1980, filmmaker [[John Boorman]] saw him on stage as Lennie Small in ''[[Of Mice and Men (play)|Of Mice and Men]]'' and offered him the role of [[Sir Gawain]] in the [[King Arthur|Arthurian]] film ''[[Excalibur (film)|Excalibur]]''. After the role, Neeson moved to London, where he continued working on stage, and in small-budget films and television. He lived with actress [[Helen Mirren]], whom he met working on ''Excalibur''.<ref name="elle">{{cite magazine |title=Neeson Easy: Tall, Dark and Phantom |magazine=[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]] (UK) |last=McHugh |first=Fionnuala |date=September 1988}}</ref> Between 1982 and 1987, he starred in five films, most notably with [[Mel Gibson]] and [[Anthony Hopkins]] in 1984's ''[[The Bounty (1984 film)|The Bounty]]'' and [[Robert De Niro]] and [[Jeremy Irons]] in 1986's ''[[The Mission (1986 film)|The Mission]]''. Neeson guest-starred in the third season of the television series ''[[Miami Vice]]'' in 1986, and moved to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] the next year to take higher-profile roles.<ref name="elle"/> He starred with [[Cher]] and [[Dennis Quaid]] in ''[[Suspect (1987 film)|Suspect]]'', which brought him critical acclaim. In 1988, he appeared with Clint Eastwood in the fifth [[Dirty Harry (film series)|Dirty Harry]] film, ''[[The Dead Pool]]'', as Peter Swan, a horror film director. In 1990, he had a starring role in [[Sam Raimi]]'s ''[[Darkman]]''. Although the film was successful, Neeson's subsequent years did not bring him the same recognition. He also starred in the eponymous role for the film ''[[Ethan Frome (film)|Ethan Frome]]'' (1993).