Liam Neeson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Liam Neeson
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Neeson in 2008
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William John Neeson
7 June 1952 Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1976–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Partner(s) | Helen Mirren (1980–1985) |
| Children | 2, including Micheál Richardson |
| Awards | Full list |
William John Neeson (born on June 7, 1952) is a famous actor from Northern Ireland. He has won many awards and been nominated for top honors like an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was named one of Ireland's 50 Greatest Film Actors by The Irish Times. He was also honored as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2000.
Neeson started his film career in 1978 with Pilgrim's Progress. He then appeared in movies like Excalibur (1981) and The Mission (1986). He became widely known for playing Oskar Schindler in Steven Spielberg's powerful drama Schindler's List (1993), which earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination.
He played main characters in dramas such as Nell (1994), Rob Roy (1995), and Michael Collins (1996). Neeson also took on big roles in popular movies, including Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins (2005), and Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia film series (2005–2010).
Neeson has acted in many different types of films. These include the historical drama Gangs of New York (2002), the romantic comedy Love Actually (2003), and the biographical drama Kinsey (2004). He also starred in the thriller Chloe (2009), the religious drama Silence (2016), and the fantasy film A Monster Calls (2016). Since 2009, Neeson has become famous as an action movie star, especially with the Taken series (2008–2014). He has also worked with director Jaume Collet-Serra on several action films like Unknown (2011) and Non-Stop (2014).
On stage, Neeson performed with the Lyric Players' Theatre in Belfast starting in 1976. He was nominated for two Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play awards for his roles on Broadway in Anna Christie (1992) and The Crucible (2002).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Liam Neeson was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. His father, Bernard "Barney" Neeson, was a school caretaker, and his mother, Katherine "Kitty" Neeson, was a cook. He was raised Catholic and was named Liam after a local priest. He has three sisters: Elizabeth, Bernadette, and Rosaleen.
He went to St Patrick's College, Ballymena, from 1963 to 1967. He later said that his love for acting began there. Growing up, he learned about the history and politics of Northern Ireland, especially after events like Bloody Sunday in 1972. He has mentioned that the conflicts in Northern Ireland are "part of my DNA."
When he was nine, Neeson started boxing lessons and won several local titles before stopping at 17. He also acted in school plays. In 1971, he studied physics and computer science at Queen's University Belfast but left to work for the Guinness Brewery. At Queen's, he also played football and even had a trial with a professional team, but he didn't get a contract.
Career Highlights
1976–1993: Starting Out in Acting
After university, Neeson worked different jobs, like a forklift operator and a lorry driver. In 1976, he joined the Lyric Players Theatre in Belfast. His first film role was in 1977, playing Jesus Christ in Pilgrim's Progress (1978). He moved to Dublin in 1978 and joined the Abbey Theatre, Ireland's National Theatre.
In 1980, filmmaker John Boorman saw Neeson acting and offered him the role of Sir Gawain in the Arthurian film Excalibur. After this, Neeson moved to London and continued acting in plays, small films, and TV shows. He lived with actress Helen Mirren, whom he met on Excalibur. He appeared in films like The Bounty (1984) and The Mission (1986). In 1987, he moved to Hollywood and starred in Suspect, which brought him good reviews. In 1988, he was in The Dead Pool with Clint Eastwood.
1993–2000: Becoming a Star
Steven Spielberg chose Neeson to play Oskar Schindler in his film Schindler's List after seeing him on Broadway. Neeson's performance was highly praised and earned him a nomination for a Best Actor Oscar. The film also won Best Picture in 1993. He also received nominations for BAFTA and Golden Globes awards.
In 1993, Neeson made his Broadway debut in the play Anna Christie, where he acted alongside Natasha Richardson, who would later become 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 main character Rob Roy MacGregor in the historical drama Rob Roy (1995). Critic Roger Ebert praised Neeson, saying he was a great hero in the film.
The next year, he starred in Neil Jordan's historical drama Michael Collins (1996). Neeson played Michael Collins, an Irish revolutionary. The film won an award at the Venice Film Festival, and Neeson won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama.
Neeson played Jean Valjean in the 1998 movie Les Misérables. He starred with Uma Thurman and Geoffrey Rush. The New York Times praised his performance, saying he played the role with "sure physical authority and profound decency." In 1999, he acted in the horror film The Haunting.
1999–2007: Big Movie Roles
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In 1999, Neeson played Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Director George Lucas chose Neeson because he saw him as 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 and made a voice cameo in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). He also appeared as Qui-Gon in the TV series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022).
Neeson narrated documentaries like Journey into Amazing Caves (2001) and The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Adventure. He returned to Broadway in the play The Crucible in 2002, earning another Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination. That same year, he was in the submarine thriller K-19: The Widowmaker and Martin Scorsese's historical drama Gangs of New York.
In 2003, he played a writer in the romantic comedy Love Actually. This film became very popular and is now a holiday favorite. The next year, he played Alfred Kinsey in the biographical drama Kinsey, earning a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama nomination. Neeson also hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live.
In 2005, Neeson took on several big roles. He played Godfrey of Ibelin in Kingdom of Heaven, Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins, and Father Bernard in Breakfast on Pluto. He also voiced Aslan the Lion in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005). In The Simpsons episode "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star" (2005), he voiced a kind priest.
In 2007, he starred in the American Civil War film Seraphim Falls. Neeson also voiced the main character's father, James, in the video game Fallout 3. This game was very popular and sold millions of copies.
2008–Present: Action Movie Star
In 2008, Neeson starred in the action film Taken. He played a retired CIA agent who tracks down his kidnapped daughter. Taken was a huge worldwide success, earning much more than it cost to make. This movie made Neeson a well-known action star and led to many more big Hollywood roles. That year, he also narrated the documentary Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity and voiced Aslan again in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008).
In 2010, Neeson played Zeus in Clash of the Titans, which was also a big box-office hit. He also starred in the thriller Chloe and played John "Hannibal" Smith in The A-Team movie. Neeson voiced Aslan once more in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010). In 2011, Neeson starred in the action-thriller Unknown. This film began his successful partnership with director Jaume Collet-Serra on other action movies like Non-Stop (2014), Run All Night (2015), and The Commuter (2018).
In 2012, Neeson starred in The Grey, which received positive reviews for his performance. He also starred in Taken 2 (2012), a successful sequel. That year, he made a cameo as Ra's al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
Neeson had a supporting voice role as Bad Cop/Good Cop in the animated film The Lego Movie (2014), which was very popular. He also appeared in A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014) and the western comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014). During Super Bowl XLIX, he appeared in a funny commercial for the game Clash of Clans, making fun of his action roles.
Following the success of the Taken films, Neeson has continued to star in many action thrillers. These include Cold Pursuit (2019), Honest Thief (2020), The Marksman (2021), and The Ice Road (2021).
In 2016, Neeson narrated a documentary about the Easter Rising called 1916. He also reunited with director Martin Scorsese for the drama Silence. That same year, he provided the voice and motion capture for the Monster in the film A Monster Calls. In 2018, he acted in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and the crime thriller Widows. He also played Chief Constable Byers in the TV series Derry Girls (2022).
Activism and Personal Life
Neeson has spoken out about important issues. He believes in stricter gun laws in the U.S. and has called them a "disgrace." He also supported the horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, New York City, explaining that it was a safe job for many people.
He has narrated videos for Amnesty International to support human rights. Neeson was against Brexit, saying it would harm the peace process in Northern Ireland. In 2017, he compared Donald Trump's presidency to the Watergate scandal, stating that no one, not even the president, is above the law.
Family and Citizenship
Neeson lived with actress Helen Mirren in the early 1980s. He later met actress Natasha Richardson while performing in a play in 1993. They married on July 3, 1994, and had two sons, Micheál (born 1995) and Daniel (born 1996). In 1998, they donated money they won from a libel case to victims of the Omagh bombing. Sadly, Natasha Richardson died on March 18, 2009, after a skiing accident. Neeson donated her organs after her death.
Neeson holds both Irish and American citizenship, becoming an American citizen in 2009. He still identifies primarily 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 and film festival in Belfast that helps young people get into the movie industry.
Neeson used to smoke a lot but quit in 2003. He has expressed admiration for the Islamic call to prayer, the adhan, which he heard while filming in Istanbul.
Neeson's mother, Kitty, passed away in June 2020. He was unable to attend her funeral due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Social Views
Neeson is a strong supporter of integrated education in Northern Ireland, which means educating Catholic and Protestant children together. He believes this helps children from different backgrounds learn and work together for a shared future. He has praised schools that have chosen to become integrated and has appeared in TV adverts to encourage more parents to choose integrated schools for their children.
Awards and Recognition
In 2000, Neeson was offered the "Freedom of the Town of Ballymena," but he declined it at the time due to some disagreements. However, on January 28, 2013, he officially received the Freedom of the Borough from Ballymena Borough Council.
He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000. In 2008, The American Ireland Fund honored him for his contributions to performing arts. In 2016, the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) gave him the Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award, presented by Irish President Michael D. Higgins. In 2018, President Higgins also gave him the Distinguished Service for the Irish Abroad Award, recognizing his contributions to humanity.
See also
In Spanish: Liam Neeson para niños
