First the wiener-nibbling monkey, and now Liam Neeson!
Except the amorous primate was only cut out of the theatrical trailer for The Hangover Part II. Neeson's cameo as a Bangkok tattoo artist, however, has been excised from the entire film.
The scene was shot on schedule, so what happened?
It's nothing personal, assures director Todd Phillips.
He tells Variety that the scene following Neeson's was cut during the editing process, thereby disconnecting what is to come from the Oscar nominee's surely captivating turn as the artist who—we're guessing—gives groom-to-be Ed Helms a Mike Tyson-style tribal tattoo on his face during another "what happened?!" night for the Wolfpack.
Instead, Nick Cassavetes was recast in the small role because, when Phillips decided to reshoot the tattoo-artist scene, Neeson was working in London and no longer available. (Hearing that he's off shooting the Clash of the Titans sequel, we feel he should have stuck with the mere mortals from The Hangover.)
"We were in a complete time crunch so I called up Nick and asked if he would do the part," Phillips explained to Variety. "He came in and crushed it and that is the scene that you will ultimately see in the film. [I'm excited for everyone] to see the film. It turned out great."
No word on whether Phillips reached out to his first choice, Mel Gibson, to see if he was still interested.
(Originally published April 8, 2011, at 6:55 p.m. PT)