He is one of the most popular action heroes in Hollywood. However, his life has been tough; he lost his wife of 16 years in a terrible accident and had to take care of his teenage sons by himself. At the age of 70, he found love with a woman who was out of reach for him.
This Irish actor has starred in many hit movies. You can spot him in famous films like “Taken,” “Star Wars,” “Batman Begins,” “Schindler’s List,” and “Love Actually.”
He got an Oscar nomination for his part in “Schindler’s List,” but at 71 years old, he’s still going strong! In 2022, he came out with two action films called “Memory” and “Blacklight.”
His Dark Childhood
Liam Neeson had a tough childhood before he became a famous Hollywood actor. He grew up in a little town in Ireland during a time of war, and even though he is in his 70s now, he still remembers those hard times very clearly.
Even though he said his childhood was pretty typical, he experienced some really tough times in history. In one of his interviews, the Irish actor talked about the 50th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” when 13 people from his community lost their lives during the conflict. He remembered how dark and difficult that time was.
“I remember the next day when everything was incredibly quiet and very, very sinister.”
Neeson began boxing when he was just nine years old and kept at it until he turned 17. Even though he has seen various kinds of violence and people have questioned if his passion for boxing is linked to his past experiences, the actor believes that the sport is all about respect.
He really valued the art of boxing. Even when fighters were hitting each other, he thought there was a kind of love in it. Besides boxing, he was also passionate about acting and would go to great lengths just to get a chance to perform on stage.
As a kid, he drove a forklift, and after a tiring day, he would catch a ride to practice for a play. He saw a lot of hard work around him, especially from his mom, who passed away at 94. She worked for 34 years as a lunch lady at a girls’ school.
Now the actor has done many films and Broadway plays, and though it seems like he’s always working, some of these movie sets brought him his greatest love.
The Love Story
Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson had a love story that seemed like it was straight out of a movie. They spent 16 wonderful years together, but sadly, a terrible accident separated them. Their romance began when they acted together in the Broadway show “Anna Christie” back in 1993.
The actor from “Taken” mentioned that he had never felt such a strong connection with a co-star before. Every day they acted together, there was a special vibe that the audience could sense and appreciate.
People who watched the show and the critics were really impressed by the amazing performances on stage, which led to the actors getting nominated for Tony Awards. During this exciting time of love, Richardson was still married to Robert Fox.
Luckily for Neeson, his marriage was almost over. Even though Richardson wasn’t happy with how things turned out, she couldn’t deny how much she loved Neeson. The actress mentioned it was just another case of bad timing.
Back then, Neeson was 40 and known for being quite the ladies’ man, but 29-year-old Richardson didn’t mind at all. In fact, she was happy that so many women were into him because she totally got it.
The actors had also collaborated on “Schindler’s List.” When Richardson turned 30, Neeson sent her a birthday card that said, “You’re getting closer to my age. Lots of love, Oskar,” which was the name of his character in the movie.
The actress didn’t think much of his gesture and was actually puzzled about what it meant for their relationship. Richardson replied, “This feels more like a note from a friend. What are we exactly?”
Neeson didn’t need to think hard about it; he quickly understood that he truly loved and cared for Richardson. He recognized that their relationship was something unique and important, so later that summer in 1994, they decided to get married.
Sadly, the star faced a heartbreaking loss when his wife tragically died in a skiing accident in 2009. She suffered a serious head injury that resulted in her being declared brain dead.
The actor recalled getting to the hospital in Canada, where the doctor informed him that the swelling in Richardson’s brain was so bad that she wouldn’t make it.
He stood by his wife’s side while she was on life support. Even though it was really hard, he told her that she had hurt her head and wouldn’t be coming back. Then, he kissed her gently and whispered that he loved her.
Neeson shared that he and Richardson had made a pact: if either of them ended up needing machines to stay alive, they would choose to let go. But when the time came, he decided to wait a little longer before making that choice, so his wife’s family could have a moment to say their final goodbyes.
Neeson shared that three of her organs were donated. Her heart, liver, and kidney helped save three other people, and the 70-year-old thought that Richardson would have really liked that.
Five years after what happened, Neeson talked to Anderson Cooper in an interview. He shared that it still felt unreal to him that his wife was no longer with them. But he knew he had to be strong for his two teenage sons, who were just kids when their mom passed away.
Dealing with Loss
After Richardson passed away, Neeson admitted that he had a drinking issue but chose to quit. He shared that he used to go through three bottles of alcohol easily. However, for many years, he has avoided hard liquor and beer. Now, he enjoys a light Pinot, but he makes sure to drink it in moderation.
Neeson was asked about his favorite Bible verse, and he shared one that he chose for his wife’s gravestone: “Cast your bread upon the water, and it will come back to you ten times over.”
He acknowledged that it wasn’t an exact quote, but he really liked it since his wife often said it to him. He tended to see the glass as half empty, while she viewed it as half full. However, the actor mentioned that his way of thinking was shifting as time went on.
After losing his wife too soon, Neeson started to think about his faith. He mentioned that he believed in it but didn’t really follow any practices. Even though the idea of an afterlife is important in faith, he wasn’t sure if he believed in it, even after Richardson had passed away.
When talking about tombstones, Neeson was asked what he would want people to remember him by and what he would like written on his gravestone. He couldn’t come up with something right away, but he recalled that during his weekly visits to Richardson, there was a Civil War soldier buried next to her. His gravestone had the words “Grace and Grit,” which always stood out to him.
Neeson and his wife brought up their kids in a farmhouse in New York. After she passed away, he had to take care of the house all by himself. He admitted that every time the door opened, he secretly wished it was her coming back home. However, each day of dealing with his sadness has been unique. Some days he feels totally calm, but then out of nowhere, a sharp pain in his heart hits him.
Back in 2016, the actor shared a special memory of his wife on social media. In his post, he talked about how tough it is to lose someone you care about, saying, “The hardest thing in the world is losing someone you love.” However, he also mentioned that their 16 years of marriage brought him valuable lessons, like how to love without conditions, and he felt real happiness because of her.
He urged his fans to show love to their partners while they were still around, reminding them that life can change in an instant. “Make sure to live and love each day as if it’s your final one. Because eventually, it will be,” he stated.
Life as a Single Dad
The actress remembered how she used to walk to her job and back every day, no matter what was going on. She always made sure to bring home any leftover food so they could eat it later. Because of this, he realized that sometimes you have to stick with a job you don’t like just to get by.
Neeson shared that his mom was really tough because she had to take care of the family since his dad didn’t earn a lot. He mentioned that raising teenage boys can be tough, but he felt proud of how polite his sons turned out. Neeson said that he and Richardson always aimed for their kids to be respectful and have good manners.
Even though he was always worried that his sons might get involved with drugs, he believed they would make good choices. So when he hears others complimenting them for being nice and polite, it makes him feel proud of himself and his wife.
A couple of years after his wife passed away, the actor shared that he was still trying to understand what it meant to be a single dad, taking it one day at a time. However, every time he watched his kids learn new things and show off their strength, he really wished Richardson could be there to see how much they were growing.
Neeson’s kids are all grown up now! His oldest son, Micheál Richardson, is 27, and his younger son, Daniel Neeson, is 26. Micheál decided to go into acting like his parents. He started his acting career in the movie Anchorman back in 2013. He even got to share the screen with his dad in the movies Cold Pursuit in 2019 and Made in Italy in 2020.
Daniel went to Tulane University where he learned about acting and digital media. After trying out some production jobs and creating a couple of films, he made the choice to launch an eco-friendly clothing brand in 2017.
Liam Neeson Getting Back to the Dating Scene
Around a year and a half after his wife passed away, Neeson decided to start dating again. There were rumors that he was seeing a businesswoman named Freya St. Johnston.
The pair was spotted exiting the well-known Nobu restaurant in London. Johnston, a tall blonde woman, is said to look a lot like his former wife. They were seen again, this time holding hands while heading to the Dorchester Hotel.
Johnston was looking really fashionable in a pretty floral dress, while Neeson matched her vibe with his light brown jeans, a blazer, and a cool baseball cap. It seems that Neeson met Johnston through some friends in the industry. He was said to have been going to her apartment and sending her flowers too.
The actor’s agent was reportedly asked about the dating rumors but decided to stay quiet. On a different day, Neeson was seen rushing out of his job to meet Johnston. He was holding a red clown nose and playfully put it on her nose while they waited for their ride. She thought it was hilarious but took it off right after they got in the car.
Neeson was said to have had a brief romance with actress Laura Brent. Before that, he was seen having dinner with flight attendant Leslie Slater, but their relationship didn’t last very long.
Soon after, he made a public appearance with Brent, and the two looked cozy together as they attended the premiere of their movie, “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Neeson put his arms around her while they posed for the camera.
Liam Neeson Found Love with a Taken Woman
Neeson stayed in Melbourne, Australia, for a couple of months while working on “Blacklight.” He really enjoyed his time there and thought the film crew was amazing, saying that everyone in every department was super friendly and hilarious.
He shared a fascinating tidbit that made everyone curious and ready to dig deeper. Neeson mentioned that even with Australia’s strict lockdown, Melbourne brought him some great friends and love.
He didn’t share any information about the mysterious woman, but he confessed that he had feelings for her. Unfortunately, nothing could happen because she was already in a relationship. Neeson isn’t telling who she is, so many reporters are trying to guess. Some of the names being mentioned include actress Yale Stone, who appeared in “Blacklight.”
Some people think that singer Tina Arena might be involved, especially since she has been in a relationship with artist Vincent Mancini for 23 years. Also, Dannii Minogue, who is the sister of the well-known Australian singer Kylie Minogue, was mentioned as one of the women being talked about.
Even though Neeson likes to keep his romantic life to himself, his friends and family really want to see him happy again. He has shown in both his films and real life that he is a caring dad, and now his fans and loved ones hope he can find someone special to share his life with.
