There was more than a hint of deja vu to Monday night’s proceedings as New York City provided the latest backdrop for Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson’s global flirtfest.
The two stars are in the midst of a continent-crossing promotional campaign on behalf of their new film, a re-cast and rebooted revival of classic slapstick comedy The Naked Gun.
But the off-screen chemistry shared by Anderson and Neeson – so apparent on every red carpet they’ve walked over recent weeks – is currently attracting more attention than the film they’re being paid to promote.
So much so that many fans are inevitably wondering if their on-screen romance – Neeson plays inept police lieutenant Frank Drebin to Anderson’s vampish nightclub singer Beth – has spilled over into real life.
Neither have attempted to dispel the rumours, and both were happy to get their hands dirty by shovelling more fuel into the fire outside New York’s SVA Theatre on Monday evening.
The pair appeared to be glued at the hip, with Anderson’s frequent coquettish glances towards Neeson and habit of playfully leaning into the veteran Irish star – a recurrent theme throughout this campaign – well in evidence during their latest premiere.
There was more than a hint of deja vu to Monday night’s proceedings as New York City provided the latest backdrop for Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson’s global flirtfest
Anderson and Neeson’s off-screen chemistry has sparked inevitable romance rumours following their appearance in a forthcoming reboot of The Naked (pictured)
But are we all just getting carried away? According to body language expert Judi James, we might be.
Speaking to MailOnline after viewing their Monday night appearance in New York, she said: ”There is clearly some ‘chemistry’ between the couple, which is apparent from the facial feature softening as they perform mutual eye-gaze.
‘But there is also an air of mutual respect, too, that comes with some break-outs of polite rather than sensual behaviors.
‘The poses we see are still mainly in response to requests from the photographers. When we see the couple posing with their children though the flirt rituals seem to stop.
‘In one pose Liam’s warm gaze produces a wide smile from Pamela that looks almost like an expression of teenage excitement, but that isn’t her normal demeanor. When they sit doing interviews about the movie Pamela can often look much more serious and thoughtful.’
Speaking to MailOnline, James admitted that they appear to exhibit genuine warmth towards one another, but any flirtatious posturing is likely contrived for the benefit of onlookers.
James also believes Anderson and Neeson’s dynamic draws telling parallels with the contrived flirtatiousness shared by Leslie Nielsen and Priscilla Presley on the red carpet more than 30-years ago, while promoting Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult.
She said: ‘Back in 1994 the late Leslie Nielsen and his Naked Gun co-star Priscilla Presley were busy performing some playful flirt rituals on the red carpet to plug their version of the movie.
The pair appeared to be glued at the hip on Monday, with Anderson’s frequent coquettish glances and habit of playfully leaning into Neeson well in evidence during their latest premiere
But are we all just getting carried away? According to body language expert Judi James, we might be
‘Liam and Pamela’s very similar-looking body language rituals at the current red-carpet premieres does look like a telling nod to the original.’
According to James, similar cosplay may well be at the heart of their off-screen antics.
‘There are moments here that suggest the couple are happily getting back into role to recreate scenes or stills from the movie, like when Pamela faces Liam, placing one hand on his chest,’ she said.
‘This would normally be seen as a hand of ownership and possession from an authentic couple but here she glances over her shoulder at the camera while he pretends to look puzzled.
‘In another pose Pamela covers her face with her hands in a gesture of coyness that might suggest flirting but its in response to Liam’s adopting the iconic Leslie Nielsen ‘hard stare’ pose from the original movie.’
She added: ‘Their touch rituals look utterly polite still and there is still that tendency to keep their torsos distanced when they do adopt more flirtatious looks. The problem is they make a great-looking couple, which is why they were booked to star together for the movie.
‘Fans want this to be genuine but red carpet body language is only ever really a form of spin-off show from the main movie, meaning fans might have to wait until the film plugging is over before they can see if this ‘romance’ has legs.’
James believes their dynamic draws telling parallels with the contrived flirtatiousness shared by original Naked Gun stars Leslie Nielsen and Priscilla Presley (pictured)
Nielsen and Presley shared an undeniable chemistry while promoting the film in 1994 (pictured, left), with many of their red carpet poses mirrored by Anderson and Neeson (pictured, right)
‘There are moments here that suggest the couple are happily getting back into role to recreate scenes or stills from the movie, like when Pamela faces Liam, placing one hand on his chest’
Anderson recently credited her natural chemistry with Neeson for helping ease her nerves on the set of their new film – after impressing him with her baking skills.
She told Loose Women: ‘He’s had an amazing career and I feel like I’m just starting, so you feel a little insecure but then the butterflies go away and then, there you are.’
Asked if they did anything to ‘bond’ off-camera, she added: ‘Well, we spent so much time together, a kind of natural chemistry happens. I don’t know if it always happens but we were kind of lucky.’
Featuring on the show alongside his co-star, Neeson admitted staunch vegetarian Anderson’s culinary skills contributed to their off-screen friendship.
He said: ‘Pamela’s a fantastic cook… she very sweetly, numerous times, made me some sourdough bread which was stunning.’
Anderson and Neeson both featured on the latest edition of ITV1 panel show Loose Women, during which they chatted to GK Barry about their working relationship
The actress credited her natural chemistry with Neeson for helping ease her nerves on the set of their new film – after impressing him with her baking skills
Neeson offered an equally affectionate assessment of his co-star during a separate interview with PEOPLE, during which he claimed to be ‘madly in love’ with the former Baywatch star.
‘She’s just terrific to work with. I can’t compliment her enough, I’ll be honest with you,’ he said.
‘No huge ego. She just comes in to do the work,’ he told PEOPLE. ‘She’s funny and so easy to work with. She’s going to be terrific in the film.’
Anderson, single following the collapse of her fifth marriage to Dan Hayhurst in 2022, subsequently returned the compliment by describing Neeson as ‘humble’ and the ‘perfect gentleman’.
Neeson has remained stoically single following the sudden death of actress wife Natasha Richardson in 2009 (pictured together in 1993)
The Irish actor recently joined Anderson in a shoot for the Daily Mail You magazine (pictured)
‘He brings out the best in you… with respect, kindness and depth of experience. It was an absolute honour to work with him,’ she said. ‘He sincerely looked after me – wrapped his coat around me when I was cold.’
She added: ‘I think I have a friend for ever in Liam and we definitely have a connection that is very sincere, very loving, and he’s a good guy. He really is a silly guy. He acts like a silly little boy sometimes.’
In a joint interview with Anderson, Neeson also admitted he enjoyed working alongside an intimacy co-ordinator while filming sex scenes with the former Baywatch star.
‘I’d never had one before,’ he said. ‘But she was in the background. There was no kind of, “OK! Excuse me!”‘
In director Akiva Schaffer’s slapstick comedy reboot, Anderson portrays a nightclub singer who comes to Drebin and his calamitous Police Squad cronies for help following the murder of her brother.
She added that the co-ordinator ‘knew when to walk away’, with Neeson claiming she threw her hands up in the air and said, “I can’t take this! This is too hot for me. I’m going for coffee”.
‘Our chemistry was clear from the start. We have the utmost respect for one another,’ Anderson told Entertainment Weekly in May.
‘I invited him and his assistant over for romantic dinners with me and my assistant so our relationship stayed “professionally romantic” during filming.’
A devastated Neeson was left to raise their two young sons Micheál and Daniel – who were aged just 13 and 12 when their mother died (pictured in 2008)
His one notable romance following the death of his wife was with businesswoman Freya St. Johnston, from 2010 to 2012 (pictured together in 2011)
Neeson has praised his late wife’s sister Joely Richardson and mother Vanessa Redgrave – both acclaimed actresses in their own right – for ‘pulling together’ following her death
Neeson dated St. Johnston for two-years before separating in 2012, amid claims the actor wanted to spend more time with his sons in New York City
The Canadian star apparently bonded with Neeson over their shared ‘love of literature and a good laugh’ and she regularly left cookies, muffins, and home-baked sourdough bread in his dressing room.
‘I am in awe of him, his experience, and work ethic. I soaked him in like a sponge,’ she said.
‘I’m hoping people love it. We had so much fun making it. I think it’s timely for a beloved comedy like this.
‘I’m a fan of the originals. As Liam says, “We could all use a good giggle.” I pray we do more.’
It all bodes well for fans of the franchise, but with the film scheduled for release on August 1 is their off-screen chemistry all part of an ongoing publicity campaign – or have they really found Love, Actually?
For Neeson, it would mark the end of a protracted spell on the sidelines, having remained stoically single following the sudden death of actress wife Natasha Richardson in 2009 – 15-years after they exchanged vows.
Neeson breathes new life into the late Leslie Nielsen’s inept police lieutenant Frank Drebin in a rebooted version of slapstick comedy The Naked Gun (pictured)
The actor has praised Anderson, his co-star, during recent interviews to promote the film
Anderson portrays a nightclub singer (pictured) who comes to Drebin and his calamitous Police Squad cronies for help following the murder of her brother
Richardson was just 45 when she died of an epidural hematoma, two days after sustaining a head injury during a beginner’s skiing lesson in Canada.
A subsequent post mortem revealed that Richardson died from bleeding in her skull caused by the fall on a ski slope in Mont Tremblant.
A devastated Neeson was left to raise their two young sons Micheál and Daniel – who were aged just 13 and 12 when their mother died.
‘It was a horrible thing to happen,’ he later told PEOPLE of the skiing accident that claimed Richardson’s life.
Praising her sister Joely Richardson and mother Vanessa Redgrave – both acclaimed actresses in their own right – he said: ‘Everybody just pulled together. Vanessa and Joely were extraordinary. We were fortunate in lots of ways.’
Neeson and Richardson married in 1994, little more than a year after meeting when they were both cast in a Broadway production of Anna Christie.
The actress has been married five times, but it was her first marriage to Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee that attracted headlines (pictured together in 1995)
Prior to meeting his wife, Neeson enjoyed a colourful love life with a string of stars – among them Barbra Streisand, Brooke Shields and Dame Helen Mirren (pictured together in 1984)
Neeson and Richardson married in 1994 after meeting the year prior when they were cast in the Broadway play Anna Christie (pictured together in 2007)
Prior to meeting his wife, Neeson had enjoyed a colourful love life with a string of high profile stars – among them Barbra Streisand, Brooke Shields and Dame Helen Mirren, with whom he claimed to be ‘smitten’.
Neeson previously reflected on meeting Mirren on the set of their 1981 movie Excalibur during a 2018 episode of The Graham Norton Show.
‘I remember being on the set and standing with Ciarán Hinds as Helen walked towards us dressed in her full Morgana Le Fey costume and we both went, “Oh f***,”‘ he said.
‘I was smitten. I think Ciarán was too, but I was very smitten!’
But following Richardson’s death, his only romance of note came in 2010, when he embarked on a relationship with businesswoman Freya St. Johnston.
The couple dated for two-years before separating in 2012, amid claims the actor wanted to spend more time with his sons in New York City.
The 72-year-old actor’s wife Natasha Richardson died in 2009 at age 45 (pictured in 1999)
Only time will tell if a certain former Baywatch lifeguard has rescued Neeson from a life of relative solitude
‘Liam is heading back to America at the start of next month to work on his new film Non-Stop,’ a source told MailOnline at the time.
‘He told Freya that he wants to take a break and concentrate on his family.’
The insider explained that Neeson broke up with St. Johnston shortly after a romantic trip to Italy, adding: ‘He called time on the relationship right after the Rome trip.
‘He told her he wanted to spend more time in New York and that he really wants to make more time for his children.
‘Freya wants something more serious, but Liam feels it is too soon. His wife only died three years ago, he wants to take things slow.’
The couple were thought to have known each other for 10 years, but only began dating in September 2010, a year and a half after the death of the actor’s wife.
By 2024 the writing appeared to be on the wall for Neeson’s love life, with the Irish star claiming he was ‘over’ the prospect of settling down with another woman.
‘I’m past all that,’ he told PEOPLE at the time.
Maybe, maybe not, but only time will tell if a certain former Baywatch lifeguard has finally rescued him from a life of relative solitude.
The Naked Gun, starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, goes on general release in cinemas from August 1
