Liam Neeson, Taken 3 star, angers PARA USA with gun-control comments

Liam Neeson's comments on American gun control have a U.S. weapons maker up in arms.

PARA USA, the gun manufacturer that provided the firearms for Neeson's latest action film Taken 3, says it regrets working with the Irish actor after remarks he made in an interview with Dubai's Gulf News.

"There’s too many guns out there," said the 62-year-old in reaction to the deadly attack on the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris two weeks ago. 

"Especially in America," the actor said. "I think the population is like, 320 million? There’s over 300 million guns privately owned, in America. I think it’s a disgrace."

Actor shows 'ignorance'

PARA, a North Carolina-based gun maker, said the remarks reflect "a cultural and factual ignorance that undermines support of the Second Amendment and American liberties," and it called for a boycott of Neeson's movies. 

"We will no longer provide firearms for use in films starring Liam Neeson," said a message on the company's Facebook page. 

"Further, we encourage our partners and friends in the firearms industry to do the same."

Neeson, who has a reputation for playing trigger-happy characters in his movies, hasn't commented publicly on the boycott threat. 

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The controversy doesn't appear to be hurting ticket sales for Taken 3, which stars Neeson as an ex-government operative​ who is framed with his wife's murder.

The shoot 'em-up thriller has grossed more than $65 million US worldwide since its release on Jan. 9.