Liam Neeson, 70, Feels His Time Acting Is Up — Looking ‘Gaunt’ at a Point, He Cares for His 2 Kids with Late Wife

Long before he became an affluent actor, Liam Neeson was a boxer famed for his athletic looks. Sadly, years after he wed the woman of his dreams, he suffered an immense loss when she died in a skiing accident. Years later, the actor shocked fans when he came out looking frail and increasingly unrecognizable. Today, Neeson and his sons are still trying to recover from losing their beloved wife and mother.

Liam Neeson is today known as a successful actor with numerous hit movies under his belt. Some of his most recognized roles include appearing in the 1978 "Pilgrim's Progress" and "Christiana" in 1979. He followed that up with his role as Sir Gawain in the Arthurian fantasy "Excalibur," as well as others such as "The Bounty," "The Mission," and "Suspect."

With over four decades in the industry, Neeson has also appeared in several leading roles, including playing Dr. Peyton Westlake/Darkman in the superhero thriller "Darkman." However, he only gained worldwide recognition after landing the role of Oskar Schindler in the 1993 war drama, "Schindler's List."

Years after his film debut, Neeson, 70, landed another leading role as Alfred Kinsey, a titular pioneering sexologist in "Kinsey," a role that earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

Over the years, he has continued to appear in a wide variety of films, with his roles ranging from an arch-villain in "Batman Begins," to an action star in "The Grey," and "Taken." He has also voiced Aslan the Lion in "The Chronicles of Narnia" and the secondary antagonist-turned-tritagonist bad cop/good cop in "The Lego Movie."

Liam Neeson's Childhood, Early Career, and Meeting the Love of His Life

Born William Neeson on June 7, 1952, in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, the actor first became an accomplished boxer in his early years. However, he did not perceive the sport as a future career and abandoned the lifestyle. He joined Queen's University Belfast to study computer science and physics.

After a year, he quit college and took up a job as a forklift driver while studying to become a teacher. Besides that, he also took drama classes, and in 1976, he joined Belfast's Lyric Players Theatre.

Two years later, he became a part of the prestigious Abbey Theatre in Dublin and, in 1979, made his acting debut in "Christiana." Soon after, roles started rolling in, and he appeared in numerous other films such as "The Bounty," the miniseries "Ellis Island," and "Miami Vice" in 1984.

Several years and a string of successful films later, Neeson starred in the Broadway play, "Anna Christie." There he met Natasha Richardson, and the pair fell in love instantaneously.

Neeson disclosed they had explosive chemistry like he never had with an actor or actress. Theatergoers and critics loved the pair's performance, and the two were nominated for Tony Awards for their roles.

And while Neeson was hesitant at first because Richardson was still married to producer Robert Fox, he did not have to wait long. Her marriage was on the verge of collapse, and Neeson still stood a chance. He only needed to be a little more patient.

At the time, Neeson was an unapologetic ladies' man who had wooed female stars such as Hellen Mirren, Julia Roberts, Barbra Streisand, and Brook Shields. However, his reputation did not phase Richardson. She loved that ladies loved him and confessed:

"I'm pleased that women fall in love with him because I know why."

Rumors of their alleged affair began hitting the tabloids, and by April of that same year, Richardson ended her marriage to Fox.

On Richardson's 30th birthday, Neeson sent her a letter as his character Oskar Schindler, saying, "You're catching up with me. Lots of love, Oskar." Richardson did not think it was romantic and wanted to know where her relationship with the "Life's Too Short" actor stood, so she responded:

"This is a letter from a buddy. What is our relationship?"

Her response caught Neeson off-guard but confirmed what he'd known for a while. He was in love with this girl, and what was happening between them was something genuine and unique, and it needed, by all means, to be protected.

The summer of 1994 saw the couple walk down the aisle on a farm in upstate New York. A little short of a year after exchanging vows, they welcomed their first child, son Micheál. Eighteen months later, they had their second baby, a son named Daniel.

The man who would later take on the role of the unstoppable dad who tracks down his teen daughter Kim and her best friend Amanda after they are kidnapped in the action thriller "Taken" became a real-life invincible dad to his sons.

For 15 years, Neeson and Richardson lived in pure marital bliss, raising their wonderful sons and appearing together in films. Sadly, their happiness was cut short when Richardson met her untimely death in 2009. She was 45.

Neeson Looked Unrecognizable Years After Wife's Death

In March 2009, Richardson and her sons left for a skiing holiday in Quebec, Canada, as Neeson filmed "Chloe" in Toronto. According to reports, the actress suffered a terrible fall and sustained a minor bump to the head. Initially, the injury did not seem alarming, and Richardson brushed it off, even refusing to seek medical attention.

However, it turned out to be a severe head injury, and she was later rushed to the hospital. Neeson abandoned filming and ran to be by her side, but upon arriving, the doctors told him his wife was brain dead.

Neeson recalled him and his wife making a pact that if either of them ever got into a vegetative state, the other was at liberty to pull the plug. "So when I saw her and saw all these tubes and stuff, that was my immediate thought," he said.

It was a great loss for Neeson, and the grief almost tore him apart. However, he looked at his wife's demise in a positive light and shared that she donated three organs, so she was still alive in those three people. Even in death, she continued to change lives.

Years later, Neeson disclosed that, despite so much time passing, the grief was sometimes overwhelming. However, he remembers his wife as the generous and caring person she was. Her infectious, maternal love was one of the most profound attributes about her that will forever amaze him. He said:

"She had a motherly instinct. And she'd make dinners for everyone and just looked after us all."

A decade after his wife's tragic demise, Neeson was snapped at the JFK Airport looking unrecognizable in a hat, glasses, and layered jackets. However, his looks became a cause for concern long before the 2019 sighting.

In 2015, the "Leap of Faith" actor stepped out looking different in a green baseball cap and sporting spectacles, a navy hoodie, tracksuit bottoms, and a lilac T-shirt, and fans were concerned about his appearance.

The media described the star as "almost unrecognizable" and "super thin," but Neeson assured fans that all was well and there was no need for concern, with his spokesman seconding the sentiments and saying that the actor had never been healthier.

Shortly after his photos surfaced, Neeson came clean about his weight loss, explaining that the director Martin Scorsese needed his cast to look more "gaunt" for the film "Silence" where Neeson played Father Cristóvão Ferreira, a Jesuit Portuguese priest on a mission to Japan.

Hollywood Life believes Neeson could have quickly revealed to his concerned fans that his sudden weight loss was for a role rather than have them worry about him being ill.

However, the publication also believes that he had a compelling reason for keeping mum — he wanted to avoid the buzz of the film coming too soon and risk fans forgetting about it before its release in 2016.

Shortly after turning 63 in 2015, Neeson disclosed that he was embarrassed to talk about his age. While others hired yachts and threw parties to celebrate birthdays, he thought his birthday was a touchy subject. He admitted that it made him vulnerable to talk about how old he was getting, adding that it should be a private thing.

And while he was concerned that he was getting old at the time, things got even thicker when he turned 70. Despite still being active in the business, Neeson recognizes that his acting time is running out.

Asked if he had ever thought about the end of his career, he disclosed that he was currently going through it. He also confessed that if he received an action script, he would call his agents and ask them if they knew his age.

Even as the star approaches his sunset years and recognizes that his time is approaching the end, he also believes he is lucky to get away with landing roles at his age.

And even though he feels he can no longer do action roles, he is open to taking a different direction in his career. He disclosed that Seth McFarlane and Paramount Studios had approached him to bring back the "Naked Gun" films:

"It'll either finish my career or bring it in another direction. I honestly don't know."

In 2022, the actor made a stunning comeback during the premiere of his neo-noir film, "Marlowe." He stepped out looking dapper in a grey suit and black shirt matched with black leather shoes. He looked barely recognizable as he posed for the cameras.

As of 2023, the actor still has ongoing projects and is set to appear in "Retribution," "In The Land of Saints and Sinners," "Thugs," and "Cold Storage." He may be 70, but he sure isn't about to hang up his acting boots.

Neeson Is a Doting Dad to His Two Sons — They Helped Each Other Overcome Grief

For decades, Neeson has been a critically acclaimed actor successfully taking on various roles ranging from playing a member of the A-Team to playing a Jedi knight. And while he has executed every one of these roles perfectly, there is one that he has found the most challenging — being a real-time dad.

The actor, who is father to his two boys, shared with his late wife, knows all too well that being a father is subscribing to worrying all the time. He shared that while being a dad was joyful, it was the kind of joy that dragged along with it constant worry.

As any parent would testify, it does not matter how old one's kids are; as a parent, you will always worry about them because, despite their age, they will always be your little boy or girl. He added:

"And you are a hostage to love."

Today, his sons are all grown. Micheál is 27 while Daniel is 26, but the journey to getting here has not been easy. After their mother died in 2009, Neeson had to step up and fill the gap, and it was not a task for the faint-hearted.

Together, they discovered that pushing Richardson at the back of their minds did not help deal with the loss. Instead, they chose to remember her and keep her beautiful memories alive. As an honor to his late mom, Micheál took her last name and is today recognized as Micheál Richardson.

With the help of their dad, the boys celebrate their mother's memories. And Micheál let in on a little secret. He disclosed that while Neeson plays all these prominent roles, sometimes as a villain, he is the most lovable person he knows. He shared:

“A lot of people think he's quite intimidating because he's done all of these action thrillers, but he is just a big, lovable Irish bear. He's a charmer."

Micheál has also appeared in "Made In Italy" alongside his dad. While acting had never been his dream, he took it up to honor his mother. He disclosed that becoming an actor helped him feel closer to his mother, and being on that journey that his mother had once walked made him feel like she was still with him.