This Boy Survived War & Worked as Forklift Truck Driver — He Became World-Famous Actor and Fell in Love at 70

He is one of the most loved action heroes in Hollywood. But life has not been easy for him; he lost his wife of 16 years to a tragic accident and had to raise his teenage boys alone. At 70 years he fell in love with a woman he could not have.

This Irish actor has been a part of several blockbuster movies. Some of his iconic appearances can be seen in the films, "Taken," "Star Wars," "Batman Begins," "Schindler's List" and "Love Actually."

His role in "Schindler's List" earned him an Oscar nomination, but the 71-year-old is still unstoppable; in 2022, he released two action movies, "Memory" and "Blacklight."

His Dark Childhood

Before becoming a Hollywood star, Liam Neeson survived a pretty violent upbringing. The actor grew up in a small Irish town during a war, and despite being in his 70s, memories from those dark days are still vivid.

Although he described his upbringing as normal, he lived through some heavy historical moments. During one of his interviews, the Irish actor spoke about the 50th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday" when 13 of his people were killed during the war. He recalled how bleak things were:

"I remember the next day when everything was incredibly quiet and very, very sinister."

Neeson started boxing from the age of nine till he was 17. Although he has witnessed different forms of violence and has even been asked if his love for boxing was attached to the trauma, the actor said the sport came with a lot of respect.

There was a deep appreciation for the craft. Even though opponents would punch each other, he believed there was love there. But outside of boxing, he also loved acting and went to extreme lengths for a chance to be on stage.

Growing up, he worked as a forklift truck driver, and after a long day of hard work, he would hitchhike just to rehearse for a play. He grew up witnessing hard work, especially from his mother, who died at 94 but worked for 34 years as a "dinner lady" at a girl's 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

Neeson and Natasha Richardson shared a love that would only feel real in movies. The couple enjoyed 16 beautiful years together before a tragic accident tore them apart. The connection between the actors sparked when they performed opposite one another in the Broadway play "Anna Christie" in 1993.

The "Taken" star said he had never experienced that kind of chemistry with a cast mate before. Each day they performed, there was an unspoken harmony that the audience also felt and noticed.

Critics and attendees loved the magic they created on stage, which earned the actors Tony nominations. At the time of this whirlwind of romance, Richardson was still married to Robert Fox.

Fortunately for Neeson, their marriage was close to an end. While Richardson was not proud of how everything panned out, she could not lie about how deeply she had fallen for Neeson. It was another situation of bad timing, said the actress.

At the time, Neeson was 40 and had a reputation for being a lady's man, but 29-year-old Richardson did not have a problem; in fact, she was glad many women liked him because she understood why.

The actors also worked on "Schindler's List" together, and for Richardson's 30th birthday, Neeson sent her a card and wrote, "You are catching up on me. Lots of love, Oskar" which was the name of his character in the film.

The actress was not impressed with his gesture and even felt confused about what it meant for them as a couple. So Richardson responded, "This is like a letter from a buddy. What is our relationship?"

Neeson did not have to ask himself twice; it became instantly clear that he loved and cared for Richardson. He realized what they shared was special and needed to be protected, so later that summer, in 1994, the couple got married.

Unfortunately, the star had to endure the tragedy of unexpectedly losing his wife to a skiing accident in 2009. The actress suffered a fatal head injury that left her brain dead.

The actor remembered arriving at the hospital in Canada, and the doctor told him the swelling in Richardson's brain was too severe for her to survive.

His wife was on life support, but he still told her that she had hit her head and would not be coming back, then kissed her and said he loved her.

Neeson also revealed that he and Richardson had agreed that if one of them had to live on machines, they should pull the plug. However, the actor waited a bit before pulling the plug to give his wife's family a chance to say their last goodbyes.

Three of her organs were also donated, revealed Neeson. Her heart, liver, and kidney were able to save three other lives, which the then 70-year-old believed would be something Richardson would have appreciated.

Five years after the incident, Neeson had an interview with Anderson Cooper and admitted that it still did not feel real that his wife was gone. However, he had to stay strong for his two sons, who were in their teens when their mother died.

Dealing with Loss

After Richardson died, Neeson confessed that he developed a drinking problem but decided to stop. He revealed that going through three bottles of alcohol was nothing. But for many years now, he has not been drinking hard liquor and beer. His preferred drink is a light Pinot, which is consumed in controlled doses.

Neeson was asked if he had a favorite verse from the bible, and he mentioned one that he put on his wife's gravestone, "Cast your bread upon the water, and it will be returned tenfold."

While he admitted it was not a direct quote, he loved it because his wife always said it to him. He saw the glass half empty and she half full, but the actor said his perspective was changing with time.

After prematurely losing his wife, the question of faith also came up. Neeson said he believed but did not practice, and while the concept of the afterlife is a big part of faith, he was not sure if he believed in it even after Richardson's passing.

While on the topic of tombstones, Neeson was also asked about what words he would like to be remembered by and have engraved on his gravestone. He could not think of it immediately but remembered that on his weekly visits to Richardson, there was a civil war soldier buried next to her, and his epitaph was "Grace and Grit," and it always caught his attention.

Neeson and his wife raised their children at a New York farmhouse, and he had to hold the house down after her death. He confessed that sometimes when the door opened, he still hoped it was her walking in, but each day of the grieving process has been different. Sometimes he will feel completely at peace, then a sudden pain in his chest would hit him.

In 2016, the actor posted a memory of his wife, and his caption reflected on their time together. He wrote, "The hardest thing in the world is losing someone you love." But the good that came out of their 16-year marriage was that Richardson taught him how to love unconditionally, and he got to experience true joy.

So, he encouraged his fans to appreciate their spouses while they were still alive because life could change in a snap of a finger. "Live and love every day like it's your last. Because one day, it will be," he said.

Life as a Single Dad

The actor recalled how she would walk to work and back, no matter the situation, and always carefully carried the leftovers from back home for them to eat. Therefore, he learned that sometimes you must do what you need to survive, even if it means staying at a job you hate.

Neeson also revealed that his mother's grit came from the need to provide for her family since his father did not make much money. Raising teenage boys can be challenging, but Neeson was proud of how well-mannered he raised his sons to be. He said he and Richardson always wanted their kids to be respectful and have manners.

Although the possibility of his boys getting into drugs worried him constantly, he trusted them to be responsible. So when he hears people praising them for being kind and respectful, he feels that he has made himself and his wife proud.

A few years after losing his wife, the actor admitted that he had not figured out the life of being a single father because he took it day by day. But whenever he saw his children discovering themselves and flexing their muscles, he wished Richardson would be there to witness their growth.

Neeson's sons are now grown; his eldest, Micheál Richardson, is 27 years old, and Daniel Neeson is 26. Micheál followed in his parent's footsteps; he made his film debut in 2013's Anchorman. He even acted alongside his father in the 2019 film "Cold Pursuit" and 2020's "Made in Italy."

Daniel also studied acting and digital media at Tulane University. Still, after dabbling in a few production gigs and making a few films, he decided to start an eco-friendly clothing line in 2017.

Liam Neeson Getting Back to the Dating Scene

About a year and a half after losing his wife, Neeson tried to get back into the dating scene. The actor was rumored to be dating businesswoman Freya St. Johnston.

The two were seen leaving the famous Nobu restaurant in London. Johnston is a tall blond woman who is said to resemble his ex-wife. They were photographed again holding hands as they made their way to the Dorchester Hotel.

Johnston looked stylish in a floral dress, and Neeson complemented her with his light brown jeans, a blazer, and a baseball cap. Neeson was reportedly introduced to Johnston through his industry friends. He had allegedly been visiting her apartment and sending her flowers.

The actor's representative was allegedly asked about their dating rumors but chose not to comment. However, on another occasion, Neeson was spotted running out of work to meet with Johnston. He had a red clown nose in his hand, jokingly propped on her nose while they waited for their car. She found it funny but removed it as soon as they drove off.

Neeson was also reported to have a romantic fling with actress Laura Brent. But before this, he was also reportedly spotted having dinner with air stewardess Leslie Slater, but their relationship did not last 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 spent a few months in Melbourne, Australia, while filming "Blacklight." He loved Melbourne and its filming crew; he thought every department had the friendliest and funniest people.

He also revealed an intriguing detail that had everyone putting on their investigative hats. Neeson said Melbourne gave him a few good friends and love, despite Australia's hard lockdown.

He did not give details about the mystery woman, but he admitted he fell in love, but nothing could come out of it since she was taken. Neeson will not reveal the woman in question, so several media detectives have made some speculations. Some of the women in the mix include actress Yale Stone who also starred in "Blacklight."

However, others speculated singer Tina Arena, who has been dating artist Vincent Mancini for the past 23 years. The sister of the famous Australian singer Kylie Minogue, Dannii was also one of the women in question.

Nonetheless, despite the fact that Neeson keeps his love affairs private, his friends and family would love to make him happy again. In his movies and real life, he has proven to be a dedicated father; now, fans and family would like to see him have a life partner to share his life with.