10 Blockbuster Stars We Don't Give Enough Credit As Actors

4. Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson has fallen so completely into the action hero persona that younger audiences may not even realise he's ever done anything else. But the grizzled, gun-toting action star is a recent development. He actually began his career with far more traditional dramatic work. Throughout the 90s, he was heavily involved with the Royal National Theatre, performing in a number of Shakespeare productions. He was nominated for two Tonys, for his work in Anna Christie and The Crucible. And of course there's his iconic performance in Schindler's List, which garnered him audience approval, critical praise, and an Oscar nomination. But in recent years, his career has taken a surprising turn. Gone are the stoic, dramatic roles that first made him famous -- now we have the stoic agent (or ex-agent, depending on the film) out for revenge/justice. Sure, these types of roles fit him like a glove, as an intense Northern Irish ex-boxer who stands at an impressive 6'4". But it's important to remember that he can actually do other things. His transformation into an action star took even Neeson by surprise, saying after filming Taken in 2008: "I thought it was going to be a straight-to-video release. I felt like spending three months in Paris, I'd get to do all this physical stuff that no one would think of me for, and that the film would would go straight to video. Then it became this big success...people started sending me action scripts."