Actor Liam Neeson attends the premiere for "Five Minutes of Heaven" at the Tribeca Grand Hotel on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009 in New York. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Evan Agostini)

TORONTO - Liam Neeson won't be coming to the Toronto International Film Festival to promote the new Atom Egoyan movie "Chloe."

Although festival organizers had previously announced that the Irish actor would attend, a spokesman for Neeson says he was never scheduled to do so.

Alan Nierob said Neeson is busy shooting "The A-Team" in Vancouver and won't be able to get away to walk the red carpet.

"Chloe" is the movie Neeson was working on in Toronto earlier this year when his wife Natasha Richardson died after a ski accident near Montreal.

The film, which also stars Julianne Moore, tells the story of a doctor who suspects her husband is cheating and hires an escort to tempt him and report back on the encounters.

"Chloe" is having its world premiere at the festival.

Nierob said Neeson wants to support the film in whatever way he can.

"He really likes 'Chloe' and if he could've been there, he would've," said Nierob.

Egoyan has a long relationship with the Toronto event. His film "The Sweet Hereafter" opened the festival in 1997, while "Felicia's Journey" did so in 1999, and "Ararat" was selected for the honour in 2002.

He was at the fest last year with "Adoration."

There's been little early buzz on "Chloe" - an adaptation of the French thriller "Nathalie."

While critics are often allowed an early look at festival titles, they won't get a peek at "Chloe" until after it has its gala screening on Sept. 13.

Moore and Amanda Seyfried, who stars as the title character - are both slated to attend the fest, which runs Sept. 9 to 19.