Liam Neeson: How iconic actor brought a giant tree to life in A Monster Calls (EXCLUSIVE)
LIAM NEESON’S performance as a giant humanoid yew tree in A Monster Calls can’t have been easy, but it was certainly a seamless process - as an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip reveals.
EXCLUSIVE behind-the-scenes clip of ‘A Monster Calls’
As seen above, the Taken star - who performed alongside Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones and a young Lewis MacDougall in the family flick - was a perfect fit for the casting.
Producer Belén Atienza said: “Liam Neeson was our choice from the get-go. We needed an actor with gravitas, with his own aura as a respected actor.”
Screenwriter Patrick Ness called him “perfect” for the part, adding: “The monster itself is an English legend called The Green Man - he’s got many names - and then Jim Kay came in and made this incredible monster.
“So striking, so strong.”
Liam Neeson starred in A Monster Calls as a giant tree
The crew had high praise for the star
Neeson himself added: “He comes from the Earth and he’s essentially made from the Earth, and timber and trees.”
Director J.A. Bayona, who next turns his attention to the Jurassic World sequel, explained: “He carries this wisdom, this age, this weight, this nobility that’s very related to the monster.”
A Monster Calls is available on home media this week and was considered a success upon its theatrical release last year.
It generated a strong 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and left audiences seriously impressed with its storytelling and visual effects.
A Monster Calls was a hit in cinemas last year
It also made a string of appearances on awards lists, with MacDougall being nominated for Breakthrough of the Year at the Evening Standard British Film Awards.
The film also bagged Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy at the Empire Awards in March.
A Monster Calls is out on DVD and Blu-ray on May 8.