Liam Neeson

Background

Liam Neeson was born on June 7, 1952, in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. He is the son of Katherine Neeson, a cook, and Bernard Neeson, a primary school caretaker. Raised a Catholic, he has three sisters. He attended St. Patrick’s College in Ballymena where he first developed a love for acting.

Neeson’s acting career began in 1976 when he joined the Lyric Players’ Theater in Belfast. It was in 1977 that he made his film debut, playing Jesus Christ in the movie “The Pilgrim’s Progress.” In 1980, he was offered the part of Sir Gawain in the movie “Excalibur.” He starred in several notable performances in movies including “The Bounty” (1984) and “The Mission” (1986). In 1987, he moved to Hollywood and earned critical acclaim for his role in the legal mystery thriller “Suspect.” His first lead role came in 1990 when he was cast in the box-office hit “Darkman.” Neeson was then cast in “Schindler’s List,” for which he was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars, the British Academy Film Awards, and the Golden Globe Awards.

He was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in “Anna Christie” alongside Natasha Richardson, whom he would later marry in 1994. She died in a skiing accident in 2009. He earned his second Golden Globe nomination in 1996 for his role in the biographical film “Michael Collins.” In 2004, he got another Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the biographical drama “Kinsey.” The year 2008 marked a major transition in Neeson’s career when he starred in the action movie “Taken,” and its sequels “Taken 2” and “Taken 3.” In 2021, he starred in another action thriller “The Ice Road.” Neeson is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He is also a devoted father to Michael and Daniel.