Editing Liam Neeson (section)

===1999–2007: Blockbuster roles ===
[[File:Wax Museum Plus (6344782431).jpg|thumb|left|Wax figures of Neeson as [[Qui-Gon Jinn]] fighting [[Darth Maul]] in ''[[Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menance]]'']]
In 1999, Neeson starred as [[Jedi|Jedi Master]] [[Qui-Gon Jinn]] in ''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace]]''. Director [[George Lucas]] cast Neeson because he considered him a "master actor, who the other actors will look up to, who has got the qualities of strength that the character demands."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp4.html |title=Star Wars Episode I: Production Notes |date=1 May 1999 |website=LucasFilm |access-date=8 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041023023458/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp4.html |archive-date=23 October 2004}}</ref> As the first ''[[Star Wars]]'' film to be released in 16 years, it was surrounded by media anticipation. Neeson's connection to ''Star Wars'' started in the [[Crown Liquor Saloon|Crown Bar]], [[Belfast]]. He told [[Ricki Lake]], "I probably wouldn't have taken the role if it wasn't for the advice of Peter King in the Crown during a Lyric reunion."{{Clarify |date=December 2012}} Despite mixed reviews from critics and fans,<ref>{{cite web |title=Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) |website=Rotten Tomatoes |date=19 May 1999 |publisher=[[Flixster]] |url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/star_wars_episode_i_the_phantom_menace/ |access-date=14 February 2012 |archive-date=15 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515010020/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_wars_episode_i_the_phantom_menace/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the film was a box office success.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world |title=All Time Worldwide Box Office Grosses |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=12 March 2009 |archive-date=27 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427204903/http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Neeson's performance as Qui-Gon received positive reviews<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/ew/article/0,,64044,00.html |title=Movie Review: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |date=21 May 1999 |access-date=29 March 2009 |archive-date=5 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305071346/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,64044,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=7324 |title=Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace |last=Kennedy |first=Colin |magazine=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |access-date=15 September 2011 |archive-date=21 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021041751/http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=7324 |url-status=live }}</ref> and a [[Saturn Award]] nomination. A stock recording of his voice from ''The Phantom Menace'' can be heard during a scene in ''[[Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones]]'' (2002).<ref name=tor>{{cite web |url=http://www.tor.com/2011/01/26/the-real-qui-gon-jinn-returns/ |title=The Real Qui-Gon Jinn Returns! |date=26 January 2011 |website=Tor.com |access-date=8 April 2016 |archive-date=29 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160329093402/http://www.tor.com/2011/01/26/the-real-qui-gon-jinn-returns/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Neeson was later reported to be appearing in ''[[Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith]]'' (2005),<ref name="USA Today">{{cite news |last=Keck |first=William |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-01-09-palm-springs_x.htm |title=Movie-star night in Palm Springs |newspaper=USA Today |date=10 January 2005 |access-date=2 June 2012 |archive-date=20 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420233707/https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-01-09-palm-springs_x.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> but ultimately did not. In the animated television series ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|Star Wars: The Clone Wars]]'' (2008–20), he voiced Qui-Gon in two episodes of the third season and one episode of the sixth season,<ref name="tor"/> and he also made a voice cameo as Qui-Gon in ''[[Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker]]'' (2019).<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/12/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-cameos-who-were-the-jedi-voices-jodie-comer-reys-mom|title=25 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Cameos You Might Have Missed|last1=Breznican|first1=Anthony|date=20 December 2019|magazine=Vanity Fair|last2=Robinson|first2=Joanna|access-date=3 January 2020|archive-date=1 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201234554/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/12/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-cameos-who-were-the-jedi-voices-jodie-comer-reys-mom|url-status=live}}</ref> Neeson appeared as Qui-Gon in the final episode of ''[[Obi-Wan Kenobi (TV series)|Obi-Wan Kenobi]]'' (2022), appearing as a force ghost to [[Obi-Wan Kenobi|Obi-Wan]], in an uncredited cameo, marking his first live-action portrayal of Qui-Gon since ''The Phantom Menace.'' He later voiced Qui-Gon again for an episode of the animated ''[[Tales of the Jedi (TV series)|Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi]]'' (2022).

Neeson narrated the 2001 documentaries ''Journey into Amazing Caves'', a short film about two scientists who travel around the world to search for material for potential cures; and ''The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Adventure''. The latter won awards at a number of film festivals including Best Documentary from both the [[Chicago Film Critics Association]] and the [[National Board of Review]]. Neeson returned to Broadway in the revival of the [[Arthur Miller]] play ''[[The Crucible]]'' acting opposite [[Laura Linney]]. For his performance as John Proctor he received a nomination for the [[Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.playbill.com/production/the-crucible-virginia-theatre-vault-0000005231|title= The Crucible (Broadway, 2002)|website= Playbill|accessdate= March 21, 2024}}</ref> [[Charles Isherwood]] of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' praised Neeson writing, "In his thoughtful performance as Proctor, the effortlessly charismatic Neeson subtly delineates a man’s moral evolution as Proctor moves from casual scorn for the proceedings to outrage to soul-stricken despair" adding, "Perhaps the finest aspect of Neeson’s performance is its admirable restraint".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2002/legit/reviews/the-crucible-4-1200550987/|title= The Crucible|website= Variety|date= 8 March 2002|accessdate= March 21, 2024}}</ref> That same year Neeson acted with [[Harrison Ford]] in [[Kathryn Bigelow]]'s 2002 submarine thriller ''[[K-19: The Widowmaker]]'' as Captain Mikhail Polenin. He was also on the cast of [[Martin Scorsese]]'s historical drama ''[[Gangs of New York]]'' with [[Daniel Day-Lewis]], [[Leonardo DiCaprio]], and [[Cameron Diaz]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://collider.com/gangs-of-new-york-opening-scorsese/|title= 'Gangs of New York's Opening Sequence Is Scorsese at His Finest|website= Collider|date= 10 January 2023|accessdate= March 21, 2024}}</ref>

In 2003, he played a recently widowed writer in [[Richard Curtis]]'s romantic comedy ensemble ''[[Love Actually]]'' (2003) acting alongside [[Hugh Grant]], [[Colin Firth]], [[Emma Thompson]], [[Alan Rickman]], and [[Laura Linney]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/11/13/liam_neeson_love_actually_interview.shtml |title=Liam Neeson Love Actually interview |website=BBC |access-date=18 April 2007 |last=Lee |first=Alana |date=13 November 2003 |archive-date=3 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503045617/http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/11/13/liam_neeson_love_actually_interview.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> The film was a commercial success and has since become a [[cult classic]] and holiday favorite.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://people.com/movies/love-actually-movie-trivia/|title= 23 Things You Never Knew About 'Love Actually'|website= March 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/lists/best-christmas-movies/about-a-boy-2002-2/|title= The 45 Best Christmas Movies of All Time|website= Variety|date= 17 November 2023|accessdate= March 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3798042113/|title= Love Actually|website= Boxofficemojo|accessdate= March 21, 2024}}</ref> The following year he portrayed [[Alfred Kinsey]] in the biographical drama ''[[Kinsey (film)|Kinsey]]'' reuniting with [[Laura Linney]] and [[Peter Sarsgaard]] and [[John Lithgow]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kinsey|title= Kinsey|website= [[Rotten Tomatoes]]|accessdate= March 21, 2024}}</ref> Neeson received a nomination for the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama]] losing to Leonardo DiCaprio for ''[[The Aviator (2004 film)|The Aviator]]'' (2004).<ref>{{cite web|url= https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/movieawards/goldenglobes/2004-12-13-nominee-list_x.htm|title= 2004 Golden Globe Awards|website= [[USA Today]]|accessdate= March 21, 2024}}</ref> That year Neeson hosted an episode of the [[NBC]] sketch show ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. He starred as a [[Redneck (stereotype)|redneck]] trucker, Marlon Weaver, in an "[[Appalachian Emergency Room]]" sketch and as a hippie in a one-off sketch about two [[wikt:stoner|stoners]] (the other played by [[Amy Poehler]]) who attempt to borrow a police dog to find their lost stash of marijuana. Despite vowing not to play any Irish [[wikt:stereotype|stereotypes]], Neeson did play an Irish man named Lorcan McArdle in the home makeover show parody "You Call This A House, Do Ya?"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://snltranscripts.jt.org/04/04ehouse.phtml |title=Liam Neeson: 13 November 2004: You Call This A House, Do Ya? |website=SNL Transcripts |access-date=2 June 2012 |archive-date=16 July 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716043925/http://snltranscripts.jt.org/04/04ehouse.phtml |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Neesonandfiennes.jpg|thumb|right|Neeson (left) and [[Ralph Fiennes]] at a [[U2]] concert in [[Madison Square Garden]], October 2005]]

In 2005, Neeson took multiple roles in mainstream blockbuster films. He portrayed [[Barisan of Ibelin|Godfrey of Ibelin]] in [[Ridley Scott]]'s epic adventure ''[[Kingdom of Heaven (film)|Kingdom of Heaven]]'', [[Ra's al Ghul]], one of the main villains in [[Christopher Nolan]]'s action film ''[[Batman Begins]]'';<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/batman_begins|title= Batman Begins|website= Rotten Tomatoes|accessdate= March 21, 2024}}</ref> and Father Bernard in [[Neil Jordan]]'s [[Breakfast on Pluto (film)|adaptation]] of [[Patrick McCabe (novelist)|Patrick McCabe]]'s novel ''[[Breakfast on Pluto]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1153341-breakfast_on_pluto|title= Rotten Tomatoes|website= [[Rotten Tomatoes]]|accessdate= March 21, 2024}}</ref> That same year he replaced [[Brian Cox (actor)|Brian Cox]] playing [[Aslan|Aslan the Lion]] in the fantasy adventure film ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]]'' (2005), an adaptation of the [[C. S. Lewis]] [[The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe|book of the same name]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://movieweb.com/liam-neeson-to-voice-aslan-the-lion-in-the-chronicles-of-narnia/|title= Liam Neeson to Voice Aslan the Lion in The Chronicles of Narnia|website= MovieWeb|date= 18 July 2005|accessdate= March 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Liam Neeson Will Voice Aslan |website=NarniaWeb |date=15 July 2005 |url=http://www.narniaweb.com/news.asp?id=326&dl=3483310 |access-date=13 January 2007 |archive-date=23 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823025418/http://www.narniaweb.com/news.asp?id=326&dl=3483310 |url-status=live }}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons]]'' episode "[[The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star]]" (2005), he voiced the kindly priest who (briefly) converts [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] to Catholicism.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/ew/article/0,,735559,00.html |title=What's coming up on "The Simpsons" |first=Brian |last=Hiatt |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=18 April 2007 |date=5 November 2004 |archive-date=8 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608234120/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,735559,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2007, he starred in the [[American Civil War]] epic ''[[Seraphim Falls]]''. Neeson voiced the main character's father, James, in the video game ''[[Fallout 3]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine |title='Fallout 3' recruits Neeson |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fallout-3-recruits-neeson-135737 |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=8 May 2007 |last=Gaudiosi |first=John |date=8 May 2007 |archive-date=25 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025195843/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fallout-3-recruits-neeson-135737 |url-status=live }}</ref> Executive producer [[Todd Howard (video game designer)|Todd Howard]] said, "This role was written with Liam in mind, and provides the dramatic tone for the entire game".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a46344/liam-neeson-to-lead-fallout-3.html |title=Liam Neeson to lead 'Fallout 3' |website=Digital Spy |access-date=9 May 2007 |last=Gibbon |first=David |date=9 May 2007 |archive-date=17 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517183939/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a46344/liam-neeson-to-lead-fallout-3.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Fallout 3'', the third game in the [[Fallout series]], was extremely well received by critics and shipped 4.7&nbsp;million copies by the end of 2008, the year it was released.<ref>{{cite web |first=Jimmy |last=Thang |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/941/941189p1.html |title=Fallout 3 Expanding to More Markets |website=IGN |access-date=2 June 2012 |archive-date=19 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119202853/http://pc.ign.com/articles/941/941189p1.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the director's commentary of the 2007 ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' DVD, [[Michael Bay]] said he had told the animators to seek inspiration from Neeson in creating [[Optimus Prime (other incarnations)#The Transformers|Optimus Prime]]'s [[body language]]. Neeson appeared as Alistair Little in the [[BBC Northern Ireland]]/Big Fish Films television drama ''[[Five Minutes of Heaven]]'', which tells the true story of a young Protestant man convicted of murdering a Catholic boy during [[The Troubles]].<ref name="5mins">{{Cite news |first=Leigh |last=Holmwood |title=Nesbitt and Neeson set for Ulster drama |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/may/08/bbc.television |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=8 May 2008 |access-date=8 May 2008 |archive-date=20 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020120637/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/may/08/bbc.television |url-status=live }}</ref>