This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Huge news broke this week that the lovable Liam Neeson, star of such films as Taken, Taken 2, and Taken 3, has become convinced that a horse that pulled his wagon during production on Netflix’s upcoming Coen brothers movie, The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, remembered him from another film.
The internet meme machine quickly got to work on the revelation after the actor appeared at this year’s New York Film Festival, stating to the gathered audience “This horse knew me. He actually remembered me from another western we made a while back … He whinnied when he saw me. And pawed the ground. I love animals. When we worked together before I took special care of him. I fed him treats. Gave him apples.”
That’s brilliant, because horses love apples. They do.
Though Neeson didn’t name the past film in question, and he did say it was of the western variety, we started to wonder just how many horses would remember a fine gentleman like that, perhaps even going to far as to whinny in appreciation at his presence.
Here are 5 horses, then, that may remember Liam Neeson (you know, it’s true what they say – Den Of Geek really has gone to the nags).
Horses from Rob Roy (1995)
Any number of horses from Neeson’s 1995 Scottish revenge saga could remember him, if they’re still alive, but a lot of them were being ridden by his character’s enemies. If the horses were method acting, they also might not have been able to compartmentalise negative connotations arising from his presense. Perhaps, then, even if they did recognise him, they’d pretend they didn’t. We may never know.
This horse from Schindler’s List (1993)
Liam Neeson rode a horse in Schindler’s List, too. Could that horse remember him? Or would the passage of time have eroded its fond memories, leading to an awkward confrontation between the two. “How many horses have you ridden since, Liam? I probably meant nothing to you.” Awful business.
Krull horse (1983)
Here’s a horse that Neeson slapped in Krull. A fine horse, there’s no doubt, but the average horse’s lifespan is 25-30 years. This horse is probably no longer with us, and therefore doesn’t remember Liam Neeson. RIP.
Sled horse from Ethan Frome (1993)
This horse pulled the actor’s sled in romantic drama film Ethan Frome. There’s no evidence that it remembers who he is.
Any number of New York City carriage horses (years unknown)
After New York mayor Bill de Blasio promised to consider a horse carriage ban in the city during his electoral race in 2014, Neeson got very upset, hinting that the animals would “go to the glue factory” if they no longer had carriage work to rely on. None of the horses around at the time probably remember Liam, but maybe they damn well should. He was in their corner.
Jar Jar Binks
Technically not a horse, but Jar Jar does look a bit like a horse, no? In the face area, at least. It’s also very likely that the actor who voiced him, Ahmed Best, remembers Neeson. Case closed.
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