Liam Neeson will step in for a cameo appearance originally slated for Mel Gibson in “The Hangover 2” after Gibson was dropped from what could have been a career-saving role after the casting stunt triggered backlash from the film’s crew and cast, including reportedly star Zach Galifianakis, Variety reported Friday.
Neeson reportedly hopped on a plane from his New York home at the urging of one of the movie’s stars, Bradley Cooper.
“I just got a call to do a one day shoot on ‘Hangover 2’ as a tattooist in Thailand, and that’s all I know about it,” Neeson said. “I just laughed my leg off when I saw ‘The Hangover’ — I was shooting in Berlin earlier this year and rented it on the hotel TV.”
Gibson, who was dropped by the William Morris Endeavor agency in July amid allegations he assaulted and made threats against his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, has not commented on the casting shuffle.
“I thought Mel would have been great in the movie and I had the full backing of Jeff Robinov and his team,” director Todd Phillips said a statement Thursday. “But I realize film-making is a collaborative effort, and this decision ultimately did not have the full support of my entire cast and crew.”