Liam Neeson is replacing Mel Gibson in the cameo role as a tattoo artist in The Hangover 2.
“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 told Variety. “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.”
Director Todd Phillips said in a statement on Thursday that they were no longer going with Gibson following protests from the cast and crew.
“I thought Mel would have been great in the movie and I had the full backing of Jeff Robinov and his team,” said Phillips, “But I realize filmmaking is a collaborative effort, and this decision ultimately did not have the full support of my entire cast and crew.”
Neeson was asked by his The A-Team co-star Bradley Cooper to take on the role. He flew out to the set Thursday from his home in New York.
