JAMES BOND movie GoldenEye saw Liam Neeson considered for 007, but his wife didn’t want him to take the role.

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Over the years a number of prominent stars have missed out on playing James Bond. Back in 1995, Pierce Brosnan finally grabbed his chance and starred in franchise reboot GoldenEye. But also under consideration by producers at the time was Taken star, Liam Neeson.

During that period Neeson was dating the late Natasha Richardson, who he would go on to marry.

And recently the actor has recounted how she said she wouldn’t marry him if he became the next James Bond.

Appearing on The Late Late Show with James Corden, the 69-year-old said: “They approached me.

“I believe I got a couple of calls from Barbara Broccoli, who’s now the main producer of the Bond films.”

James Bond: Liam Neeson was considered for 007 but his wife didn’t want him to do it (Image: GETTY/TLLS)

Liam Neeson and his late wife Natasha Richardson (Image: GETTY)

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Neeson, who was promoting his new movie Ice Road, added: “This was after I had done Schindler’s List, which was 26 years ago, but I wasn’t offered it.

“I know they were looking at various actors, and I apparently was among them.

“However, my dear, departed wife did say to me… ‘Darling, if you’re offered James Bond and you’re going to play it, you’re not going to marry me.’”

The star joked how after that if they had arguments, he’d go up to her singing the Bond theme tune while posing with his fingers like a gun.

Pierce Brosnan as James Bond (Image: GETTY)

While Neeson didn’t become Bond for GoldenEye, Brosnan was lucky enough to bag the role after previously missing out on 007 following Sir Roger Moore’s retirement from the franchise.

The Bond producers were casting for 1987’s The Living Daylights and he was offered the role.

However, the Irish actor couldn’t get out of his contract starring in the TV series Remington Steele.

In the end, the part went to Timothy Dalton, who also starred in 1989’s Licence to Kill.

This remains the longest to date, just so long as No Time To Die isn’t delayed yet again.

But Brosnan would go on to star in what is considered by many Bonds fans to be one of the very best films of the franchise.

He stayed in the role for three more 007 movies, sadly not quite living up to the same standard of GoldenEye, before handing on the baton to Daniel Craig with 2006’s Casino Royale.