Liam Neeson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Liam Neeson
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Neeson in 2008
|
|
| Born |
William John Neeson
7 June 1952 Ballymena, Northern Ireland
|
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1976–present |
|
Works
|
Full list |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Partner(s) | Helen Mirren (1980–1985) |
| Children | 2, including Micheál Richardson |
| Awards | Full list |
William John Neeson OBE (born 7 June 1952) is a famous actor from Northern Ireland. He has received many important awards and nominations. These include nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe Awards. In 2020, he was listed as one of Ireland's 50 Greatest Film Actors. Neeson was also honored with the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2000.
Neeson started his film career in 1978. He became very well-known for playing Oskar Schindler in Steven Spielberg's drama Schindler's List (1993). This role earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination. He then played leading roles in films like Nell (1994) and Michael Collins (1996). He also starred in big movies such as Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) as Qui-Gon Jinn. He was also Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins (2005) and voiced Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia films (2005–2010).
Since 2009, Neeson has become famous for action movies. These include the Taken series (2008–2014) and The Grey (2011). He has often worked with director Jaume Collet-Serra on action thrillers. These films include Unknown (2011) and Non-Stop (2014). On stage, Neeson has been nominated for two Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play awards.
Contents
Early Life and Interests
Neeson was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. His mother, Katherine, was a cook, and his father, Bernard, was a school caretaker. He was raised Catholic and was the third of four children. He has three sisters: Elizabeth, Bernadette, and Rosaleen.
Discovering Acting
Neeson attended St Patrick's College, Ballymena from 1963 to 1967. He later said that his love for acting started there. He also took boxing lessons from age nine and won several local titles. He stopped boxing when he was 17.
His interest in acting was also sparked by Ian Paisley, a famous politician and church leader. Neeson once snuck into Paisley's church. He said Paisley had a "magnificent presence" and that watching him was "great acting."
University and Football
In 1971, Neeson studied physics and computer science at Queen's University Belfast. He left to work for the Guinness Brewery. While at Queen's, he also showed talent for football. He even had a trial with Bohemian F.C. in Dublin but was not offered a contract.
Acting Career Highlights
After university, Neeson worked odd jobs before joining the Lyric Players Theatre in Belfast in 1976. He performed there for two years.
First Film Roles
Neeson got his first film role in 1977. He played Jesus Christ in Pilgrim's Progress (1978). In 1978, he moved to Dublin for a play about The Troubles.
In 1980, filmmaker John Boorman saw Neeson acting on stage. Boorman offered him the role of Sir Gawain in the Arthurian film Excalibur. After this, Neeson moved to London and continued acting in films and TV. He lived with actress Helen Mirren, whom he met on Excalibur.
He starred in films like The Bounty (1984) with Mel Gibson. He also appeared in The Mission (1986) with Robert De Niro. In 1987, he moved to Hollywood for bigger roles. He starred with Clint Eastwood in The Dead Pool (1988). In 1990, he played the main role in Sam Raimi's Darkman.
Breakthrough with Schindler's List
Steven Spielberg chose Neeson to play Oskar Schindler in his Holocaust film Schindler's List. Neeson's powerful performance earned him an Oscar nomination. The film also won Best Picture in 1993. This role made him a very sought-after actor.
In 1993, Neeson made his Broadway debut. He starred in the play Anna Christie with Natasha Richardson, who later became his wife. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for this role. They also worked together in the film Nell (1994).
He then played the lead in the historical drama Rob Roy (1995). Critic Roger Ebert praised him, saying Neeson made an "effortless hero."
The next year, he starred in Michael Collins (1996). Neeson played the Irish revolutionary who fought for Ireland's independence. He won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for this role.
Neeson played Jean Valjean in the 1998 film Les Misérables. The New York Times praised his performance, noting his "sure physical authority and profound decency." In 1998, he also returned to the stage to play Oscar Wilde in the play The Judas Kiss.
Big Blockbuster Roles
.jpg)
In 1999, Neeson starred as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Director George Lucas chose him because he was a "master actor" with the strength the character needed. The film was a huge success at the box office. Neeson's performance as Qui-Gon was well-received.
He later voiced Qui-Gon in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He also made a voice cameo in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). In 2022, he appeared as Qui-Gon's force ghost in the Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series.
Neeson narrated documentaries like Journey into Amazing Caves (2001). He returned to Broadway in 2002 for the play The Crucible. He received another Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination for his role as John Proctor.
In 2003, he was in the romantic comedy Love Actually. This film became a popular holiday classic. The next year, he played Alfred Kinsey in the drama Kinsey. He received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama nomination for this role.
In 2005, Neeson took on several big roles. He played Godfrey of Ibelin in Kingdom of Heaven. He was also Ra's al Ghul in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. He voiced Aslan the Lion in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He also voiced a priest in The Simpsons episode "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star".
In 2007, he starred in the film Seraphim Falls. Neeson also voiced the main character's father in the video game Fallout 3. This game was very popular.
Becoming an Action Star
In 2008, Neeson starred in the action film Taken. He played a retired CIA agent tracking down his kidnapped daughter. Taken was a huge worldwide success. This film made Neeson a major action star.
He continued to voice Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010). He also voiced a character in Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.
In 2010, Neeson played Zeus in Clash of the Titans. He also starred as John "Hannibal" Smith in The A-Team movie. In 2011, Neeson starred in the action-thriller Unknown. This film began his frequent collaborations with director Jaume Collet-Serra. They worked together on films like Non-Stop (2014) and The Commuter (2018).
Neeson was planned to play Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's 2012 film Lincoln. However, he felt he was too old for the role and was replaced by Daniel Day-Lewis.
In 2012, Neeson starred in The Grey, which received good reviews. He also returned for Taken 2 (2012). He made a cameo as Ra's al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
Neeson voiced Bad Cop/Good Cop in The Lego Movie (2014). He also starred in the action film A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014). During the Super Bowl XLIX, he appeared in a funny commercial for the game Clash of Clans.
Since the Taken films, Neeson has become very well-known for action thrillers. Other recent action films include Cold Pursuit (2019), Honest Thief (2020), and The Ice Road (2021). He has mentioned wanting to retire from the action genre.
In 2016, Neeson worked with director Martin Scorsese again on the drama Silence. That same year, he voiced and did motion capture for the Monster in A Monster Calls. In 2018, he was in the western film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and the crime thriller Widows. He also played Mark Felt in Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House (2017).
Activism and Views
Neeson has spoken out about important issues.
Gun Control
He believes in stricter gun control in the U.S. In 2015, he called U.S. gun laws a "disgrace." Because of his comments, a gun company that provided props for his Taken films said they would no longer work with him.
Horse-Drawn Carriages
In 2014, Neeson supported horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, New York City. He wrote an article saying the carriage business was safe and provided jobs for many people.
Integrated Education
Neeson strongly supports integrated education in Northern Ireland. This means educating Catholic and Protestant children together. He believes this helps children from different backgrounds learn and work together. He has appeared in TV adverts to encourage parents to choose integrated schools.
Personal Life
Family and Relationships
Neeson lived with actress Helen Mirren in the early 1980s. They met while filming Excalibur.
He met actress Natasha Richardson in 1993 while performing in a play on Broadway. They married on 3 July 1994. They had two sons, Micheál (born 1995) and Daniel (born 1996). In 2009, Natasha Richardson sadly died after a skiing accident. Neeson decided to donate her organs.
Citizenship and Honors
Neeson holds both Irish and American citizenship. He became an American citizen in 2009 but still identifies as Irish. In 2009, Queen's University, Belfast gave him an honorary doctorate. In 2011, he became a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. He also supports CineMagic, a charity that helps young people get into the movie industry.
Neeson used to smoke a lot but quit in 2003. When he played Hannibal in The A-Team (2010), he agreed to smoke cigars for the role.
Neeson's mother, Kitty, passed away in June 2020. He could not attend her funeral due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Awards and Recognition
In 2000, Neeson was offered the "Freedom of the Town of Ballymena." He initially declined due to past comments about feeling like a "second-class citizen" growing up there. However, on 28 January 2013, he accepted the Freedom of the Borough from Ballymena Borough Council.
Queen Elizabeth II appointed Neeson an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2000. In 2008, The American Ireland Fund honored him for his contributions to Ireland. Queen's University, Belfast awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2009. In 2016, he received the Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award from the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA). In 2018, Irish President Michael D. Higgins gave him the Distinguished Service for the Irish Abroad Award.
See also
In Spanish: Liam Neeson para niños
- List of British Academy Award nominees and winners
- List of Irish Academy Award winners and nominees
- List of actors with Academy Award nominations
