After a decade of gestation, Eighties TV series The A-Team hits the big screen with Liam Neeson as Hannibal Smith, Bradley Cooper as Face, Sharlto Copley as “Howling Mad” Murdock and fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the Mr T role of BA Baracus. Steve Pratt caught up with them the day after the British premier.

THERE’S nothing quite as dedicated as a reformed smoker.

So what was it like having to endure those enormous cigars?

LIAM NEESON: It was tough. I’ve been off cigarettes for 16 years but Joe (Carnahan, the director) insisted that I smoke those cigars, which was absolutely right for the role. We had Cuban cigars. So, after day one I got what cigars were about. [Before then] I’d got the prop guys to make me rubber ones. I had this idea that someone would occasionally come up and try to light this thing, and I’d say: “No, no, no, I’m trying to stop smoking.”

But Joe didn’t like it.

Q HAVE your boys seen the film and what do they think of you as Hannibal Smith? Does it give you some street cred?

LIAM NEESON: There was a wee bit. I went to see the film with my boys and my mother-in-law, who is Vanessa Redgrave.

Three quarters of the way through, I asked her if she was following it and she said: “I’m a little bit confused, but I love every second of it.” But we all loved it and I have a little bit of cred with my boys, yes.

Q YOU were a massive fan of The ATeam and of Murdoch, so what did it feel like to be playing him? And meeting Dwight Schultz, who played him on TV and has a cameo in the film?

SHARLTO COPLEY: The show was a big part of my childhood and Murdock, particularly, was a character that had quite an influence and was an inspiration for me to get into film in the first place. So, it was a real honour. And I just tried to play a Murdock that I would like because I knew I was already a big fan and just wanted to do the best that I could with the character.

Dwight Schultz was someone who had been such a part of my childhood, so it was a really moving moment when I met him. We had lunch and I was really getting on with him, so I thought: “Well, he’s not really going to see much of what I’ve been doing with his character today, within the scene.” So, I showed him the test that I’d shot where it was me improvising and doing different voices with props in the hotel room.

He turned to me, had tears in his eyes, gave me a hug and said: “You are Murdoch.”

He then put out on his website: “Murdoch is dead, long live Murdoch.” He called me after the film, congratulated me and said he was just so proud of seeing the character come to life again. It meant a lot to me.

Q THE original Face, Dirk Benedict, has a cameo in the movie, so what was it like working alongside him?

BRADLEY COOPER: Dirk Benedict was great. We did a scene where we’re in a tanning booth in prison and I remember being in the make-up trailer watching him in his black Speedo being sponged with brown tan, as I was simultaneously, and thinking: “There’s something that doesn’t happen every day.” I’ll always take that with me.

Q YOU look tired. Has it been a long few days?

QUINTON “RAMPAGE” JACKSON: I don’t understand why they have a British premier and then early the next morning stage the junket. In fighting, you don’t do that. See, Liam and I like to have fun, we like the night-life. You might find Liam and I at the club or in a bar dancing and with a drink in our hand, or whatever. Bradley and Sharlto are probably reading a book or something...

[laughs]

■ The A-Team (12A) is now in cinemas.