Liam Neeson rumors untrue

While Robert DeNiro famously added sixty pounds to prepare for his Oscar-winning turn as boxer Jake LaMotta in 1980's "Raging Bull", Liam Neeson apparently took the opposite approach to get ready for his role in another Martin Scorcese project.

Back in July, the actor was photographed in New York City looking markedly thinner. Naturally, this sparked rumors that he was suffering from some undisclosed ailment. It turns out the powerfully built Neeson had dropped the weight to get in shape for his role as Father Cristovao Ferreira in Scorcese's upcoming release "Silence". The twenty pounds that Neeson shed from his six foot four frame left him looking frighteningly gaunt and spurred on speculation that he was seriously ill. Fortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.

The real puzzle is why Neeson waited so long to address the health concerns surrounding his shocking weight loss. At the time that the photographs of the actor, looking painfully thin, first surfaced all his representatives would say was that his health was fine while offering no explanation for the apparent physical decline. It took four months for the 63-year-old Hollywood legend to finally reveal that the weight loss was for a role, finally letting the cat out of the bag during an appearance at the Los Cabos Film Festival in Mexico last weekend.

In "Silence" Neeson portrays one of two 17th century Jesuit priests who are persecuted while traveling in Japan. The men are spreading the message of Christianity while searching for their spiritual mentor. Understandably, the role called for Neeson to appear frail and emaciated. Judging by the reception to his thinner appearance, the dieting paid off.

Actors are famously willing to jump through any number of hoops to work with the acclaimed director. Scorcese made similar demands on Neeson's younger co-stars Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield, who each slimmed down for the highly anticipated film. The star of "Taken" states that Garfield physical transformation was even more extreme than his own.

Happily, the Hollywood veteran is in fine health,but it is ironic that this latest gossip was related to Neeson's preparations to play a priest, considering the far more intriguing religious rumor that dogged him back in January.  
At that time, it was rumored that the Roman Catholic actor was converting to Islam. This was based almost solely on some positive statements he had made regarding the Muslim prayers he had seen performed while filming "Taken 2" in Turkey. In the course of an interview, Neeson made an off the cuff remark about being so moved by the experience that he might change religions. He later denied that he was seriously considering becoming a Muslim.

So, to recap, Liam Neeson isn't sick.
The only rumor that is true this time is the lengths he will go to immerse himself in a role.