Liam Neeson's Lonely Last Days: 'Taken' Star, 72, Declares He's 'Past' Dating 15 Years After Wife's Death — and Declares He's Ditching Action Roles
Liam Neeson has admitted he has stopped dating aged 72.
Oct. 24 2024, Published 1:08 p.m. ET
Hollywood star Liam Neeson has called time on dating - 15 years after his wife's tragic death.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Irishman, 72, intends to spend the rest of his life single, having enjoyed a brief romance with British publicist Freya St. Johnston which ended in 2012.
Neeson intends to live the rest of his life single following the death of his wife in 2009.
Asked by People if he's currently dating, he said: "No, in a word. I’m past all that."
Neeson's wife of 15 years Natasha Richardson died from injuries sustained in a skiing accident in 2009, aged just 45.
Prior to meeting his late wife while working on the 1993 Broadway revival of Anna Christie, Neeson also dated Barbra Streisand, Brooke Shields and Helen Mirren, his co-star in the 1981 movie Excalibur.
Neeson's wife of 15 years Natasha Richardson died from injuries sustained in a skiing accident.
Recalling when he first fell for Mirren during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show in 2018, Neeson said: "I remember being on the set and standing with Ciarán Hinds as Helen walked towards us dressed in her full Morgana Le Fey costume and we both went, 'Oh f---.'
"I was smitten. I think Ciarán was too, but I was very smitten."
The pair dated for four years until 1985, and Neeson looks back on their time fondly, including a "lovely" trip to Southwest France.
Neeson will also be ditching action roles.
He explains: "I remember going to see a bullfight there with Helen, which was extraordinary. Got really mixed feelings about that, seeing extraordinary acts of bravery and then seeing this horrible death.
"Then we were on the Loire Valley camping. Oh my God, it was gorgeous. Helen was a good cook, cooking on outside fire and stuff. Lovely."
Neeson isn't just giving up on dating, he's ditched action roles too.
The Irish actor admitted he could have played James Bond in the 007 franchise.
The actor and star of the Taken franchise, admits he's getting too old for the physically demanding parts.
He said: "I’m 72 — it has to stop at some stage."
The veteran actor continues to perform his own fight scenes, with stunt double Mark Vanselow taking on the more demanding stunts.
"You can’t fool audiences. I don't want Mark to be fighting my fight scenes for me," he added.
Asked when he’ll officially retire from action movies, he said: "Maybe the end of next year. I think that's it."
The retirement announcement comes nearly a year after he revealed he almost portrayed James Bond, a role that could have changed his life in more ways than one.
Before Schindler's List - his breakout role - hit theaters in 1993, Neeson met Richardson and married in 1994, but as he shared in a Rolling Stone interview, his future wife made it clear that if he took the role of 007, there would be no wedding.
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He said: "I knew the Broccolis," the legendary producers behind the Bond franchise, Albert "Cubby" Broccoli and his daughter, Barbara.
But Richardson told him: "Liam, I want to tell you something: If you play James Bond, we’re not getting married."
"She gave me a James Bond ultimatum. And she meant it," Neeson continued, adding why he thought she didn't want him to take the role.
He continued: "Come on, there’s all those gorgeous girls in various countries getting into bed and getting out of bed. I'm sure a lot of her decision-making was based on that."
In the end, the role went to Pierce Brosnan, who debuted as 007 in 1995's Goldeneye.
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