Why Liam Neeson ‘Lost It’ Before Shooting His First Scene For Schindler’s List

In an oral history of the film for The Hollywood Reporter, Neeson revealed that his first scene was filmed at the gates of Auschwitz, where he had a conversation with one of the film’s co-producers, Branko Lustig. Lustig had survived his time at Auschwitz and even pitched his qualifications by rolling up his sleeve and showing off his identification number tattoo. So, when he started sharing some of his experiences, Neeson was truly shaken:

“Before my first scene, we were at the gates of Auschwitz. I was walking outside the barbed wire, waiting to be called to set. I had my Schindler stuff on, a big fur-lined coat, and I was a little nervous, looking at the huts inside Auschwitz. Branko sidled up beside me and said, ‘How do you feel?’ I said, ‘I feel OK. It’s an intense scene, and it’ll be good to get it under my belt.’ Branko casually pointed to a hut and said, ‘See that hut there, second from the left?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘That’s where I was.’ F***, I just lost it. He was there at the age of 6. Two years he spent there. I remember my knees weakened, and I thought, ‘You’ve got to pull yourself together, man. This isn’t acting in just another movie.'”

Not only was Neeson hit with the weight of trying to get the story right, but because “Schindler’s List” was filmed on location, he was also hit with the history of the very ground on which he stood.