Liam Neeson Sets the Record Straight on Anti-Vaccine Claims After Controversial Documentary
Liam Neeson shuts down anti-vaccination chatter, clarifying that his appearance in a controversial documentary does not reflect his views on vaccines.
Liam Neeson is not anti-vax. That’s the short version. The longer version: he narrated a new documentary that pushes some familiar vaccine-skeptic claims, people jumped to conclusions, and his team stepped in to shut that down.
What kicked this off
Neeson, the Oscar-nominated star of Schindler's List, lent his voice to a documentary called 'Plague of Corruption: 80 Years of Pharmaceutical Corruption Exposed.' It’s based on a book by Kent Heckenlively and Judy Mikovits and leans hard on the idea that the pharmaceutical industry is riddled with bad actors. As soon as folks heard Neeson narrated it, the anti-vax speculation started.
What Neeson is actually saying
A representative told Entertainment Weekly that Neeson’s narration does not equal endorsement of the film’s conclusions. He supports vaccines and has for years, including as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
"Liam never has been, and is not, anti-vaccination."
The rep added that acknowledging there can be corruption in pharma is not the same thing as opposing vaccines, that Neeson didn’t have a hand in shaping the film’s editorial content, and that any questions about the movie’s claims should go to the producers.
What the film is pushing
The documentary amplifies ideas that have been repeatedly debunked, including a supposed link between vaccines and autism and even the notion that a polio vaccine somehow led to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also features an interview with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine critic.
Why Neeson did it (and what that means)
Actors narrate projects all the time without steering the message; it’s a job, not a manifesto. That’s the case here, according to his team. The takeaway: Neeson’s public stance remains pro-vaccine and pro-public health.
What he’s doing next
- Cold Storage
- Hotel Tehran
- 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank
- The Mongoose
Bottom line: Neeson voiced a controversial doc, but he’s not joining the anti-vax camp. He’s still Team Immunization and busy lining up the next round of projects.