Hollywood Life: Liam Neeson says weight loss is for movie role

Liam Neeson has had fans concerned for the past few months because he has been looking much thinner than usual. It turns out the Irish actor shed the weight for a new movie role.

While being interviewed by website Collider at the Los Cabos Film Festival in Mexico last week, Neeson said he lost 20 pounds to play a tortured Jesuit priest in Martin Scorsese's upcoming drama "Silence," which co-stars Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield. "Martin wanted us all to look a bit more gaunt," Neeson, 63, said. "Martin requires this level of [dedication] and I think it pays off."

The movie, which is set in the 17th century, follows two young missionaries who endure violence and persecution as they travel from Portugal to Japan to look for their mentor, a priest who is rumored to have forsaken his faith. Scorsese's film is scheduled to open sometime next year.

Hail to Claire Danes

In the December issue of Allure, "Homeland" star Claire Danes, 36, shared what happened the first time she met President Barack Obama at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2013.

"He said, 'Claire, you're a fine actress.' And I said -- just like a total idiot -- 'You're a fine president.' And he said, 'You're a finer actress than I am president.' "

Danes replied: "And it's true."

She then added: "That is a joke, for the record."

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