If there was a role that Liam Neeson was born to play, it was probably Santa Claus. Given his propensity to make lists — earning him that role in Schindler’s List — and his jolly demeanor, there’s really nobody better suited for the job mentally. It’s the look that seems to be giving him a little trouble in this opening sketch from The Late Show on Friday. If only he could grow a true beard and plump up a bit, he might be ready to launch a new franchise as Santa and cut to the true heart of the mythical being’s motivations.
Sure, it’s easy to fall into the lull that Santa is supposed to be a jolly soul that’s out there delivering toys and joy to the children of the world. But what Santa is really doing is passing judgment onto the kids who he deems unworthy of his joy and gifts. If you fall onto Santa’s bad side, you’re left with a lump of coal or worse depending on where you live in the world. Any number of anti-Christmas characters could enter your house instead of Santa, dropping you into their burlap sacks or drowning you in their tubs because you were “naughty.” Put Liam Neeson into a Santa movie now and I’ll forgive him for every sappy moment he was in Love Actually.
Elsewhere on The Late Show, Neeson talks a bit about his role in Silence and the lunacy required to make a fourth Taken film. He also recounts a funny fan encounter following the release of the first Taken film with a man reciting the entire speech to him while using the toilet. Not only does this break the rule of speaking in the men’s bathroom, but then he tried to shake hands.