The Naked Gun (2025) premiers on August 1st, starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. Neeson will play Lt. Frank Drebin, Jr., the son of Lt. Frank Drebin. That role was originally made famous by the late Leslie Neilsen. Anderson will play opposite Neeson in the role of Beth Davenport. The movie is to be in sequential order after the last Naked Gun film in 1994.
Naked Gun Franchise
The first film, released in 1988, starred Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, and Ricardo Montalbán. It set the tone for the comedy police action film trilogy – now quadrilogy.
Lt. Frank Drebin was generally a bumbling detective who somehow managed to get (most things) done. He ended up being the hero at the end of each movie, but by usually no means of his own doing. It will be interesting to see how Liam Neeson interprets this legacy role.
Drebin Jr. meets singer Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson) in a jazz club. Beth must team up with the lieutenant to see if they can solve her brother’s mysterious death. Anderson, a sax player herself, said she was able to incorporate her love of jazz music in this role.
Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson: The Initial Meeting
Until the start of filming in 2024, both Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson had never met. They discovered they had a strong chemistry on the set, and a deep connection as actors. Liam said that he let it play out. He stated:
We met on set, and we discovered we had a lovely, budding chemistry — as two actors. And it was like, ‘Oh, this is nice. Let’s not mold this, let’s just let it breathe.’ And that’s what we did.
Image of Liam Neeson & Pamela Anderson, Courtesy of Daily Mail
Pamela Anderson echoed what Neeson said, effusing:
I think I have a friend forever in Liam… We definitely have a connection that is very sincere, very loving. He’s a good guy.
Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson: Why We’re Rooting for Them
It’s great seeing how these two are taking things slowly – and making the time to build a solid foundation and friendship. Both Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson have had their share of tragedies and struggles. Neeson lost his wife Natasha Richardson in a freak ski accident in 2009. Anderson has been in the news often. It’s been anything from a sex tape scandal involving her ex-husband, drummer Tommy Lee, to even being the object of crude sex jokes.
Anderson, who has modeled, acted, and been a musician, was mostly known for her roles on Baywatch and V.I.P. She has had a few more serious roles, but the one that made her standout was a recent one. She portrayed Shelly in The Last Showgirl. The acclaimed movie received multiple award nominations and Anderson’s performance was highly praised.
It appears as though both Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson are quite taken with one another and working on the film has been good for both of them. The two certainly deserve a chance to be successful and happy.
“You can’t put a price on a great comeback” was something Drebin said in the previous film – so we may see this franchise come screeching in as well as Pamela and Liam shipping. So, do we call them “Pameliam” or “Liamela?”
