Liam Neeson Jokes His Death as Qui-Gon Jinn in ‘The Phantom Menace’ Was ‘A Bit Namby-Pamby’: ‘Please, Hardly a Master Jedi’

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Liam Neeson wasn’t a fan of his death in “Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace.”

On a recent episode of GQ’s “Most Iconic Characters,” Neeson, who plays Qui-Gon Jinn in the “Star Wars” prequel, joked that his death in the film was “a bit namby-pamby” and that he thought a Jedi master would fare better in a battle with a Sith lord.

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“I thought my death was a bit namby-pamby,” he said. “I’m supposed to be a master Jedi. My character fell for the ‘Oh, I’m going for your face! No, I’m not, I’m going for your stomach.’ ‘Oh, you got me!’ Please, hardly a master Jedi.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Neeson said that on set, “Star Wars” mastermind George Lucas felt a bit awkward directing actors, and that he preferred to shape the film in the editing bay.

“George doesn’t like directing. Period. He told me that,” Neeson explained. “He’d finish a scene, he’d say, ‘Natalie, a little bit faster. Liam, a little bit faster there.’ [In the] editing suite afterwards, that’s when he starts enjoying the process. But actually directing actors and stuff, he told me he doesn’t like it.”

Neeson trades his light saber for a police badge in his latest flick, “The Naked Gun,” which is in theaters now. The Paramount reboot sees a typically brooding Neeson in the role of Detective Frank Drebin Jr., who must solve a murder to keep the Police Squad from shutting down for good. Other cast members include Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder and Kevin Durand.

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