The star of the movie ‘Absolution’ opens up about his life now in a new interview with PEOPLE
Liam Neeson is no longer dipping his toe in the dating pool.
In the new issue of PEOPLE, the Oscar-nominated actor opens up about his iconic career, fatherhood and his life now at age 72. Asked if he dates, Neeson replies, “No, in a word. I’m past all that.”
The Love Actually actor was married to Natasha Richardson from 1994 until her death at age 45 in 2009. More than a year after Richardson died, Neeson began dating U.K.–based public relations executive Freya St. Johnston. Their relationship lasted two years.
Prior to meeting Richardson while working on the Broadway revival of the 1993 Broadway revival of Anna Christie, Neeson also dated the likes of Barbra Streisand, Brooke Shields and Helen Mirren, his costar in the 1981 movie Excalibur.
“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—,” Neeson said on a 2018 episode of The Graham Norton Show. “I was smitten. I think Ciarán was too, but I was very smitten!”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(574x0:576x2):format(webp)/liam-neeson-rollout-102224-natasha-richardson-3-41710f3e02a745c2906a427f0c58927b.jpg?resize=640%2C835&ssl=1)
The pair dated for four years until 1985, and Neeson — who says he keeps in touch with the White Bird actress from time to time — looks back on their time fondly, including a “lovely” trip to Southwest France.
“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,” he says. “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.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/liam-neeson-rollout-102224-helen-mirren-cea00d7483b84ae4be4863ac0ddc511a.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
Though dating is far from his mind these days, Neeson keeps active with work and spending time with Micheál, 29, and Daniel, 28, the sons he had with The Parent Trap actress Richardson.
Micheál, an actor, and Daniel, an entrepreneur with his own tequila brand, De-Nada, live close to their dad in New York, and the trio get together to hang and watch movies or TV shows. “Just simple stuff,” says Neeson. “We used to do a bit of fly-fishing together. We haven’t done it for several years now.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(599x0:601x2):format(webp)/liam-neeson-people-cover-7195b6a81e9e4e82bedddf52a0c2b4c9.jpg?resize=640%2C853&ssl=1)
Neeson is content with alone time as well. The actor, who stars in the new drama Absolution and an upcoming reboot of The Naked Gun franchise, tries to schedule about two months off between work projects. His ideal day off, he says, involves sleeping late and devouring a Patricia Cornwell mystery or Nordic noir books. “I’m an avid reader,” says Neeson.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/Liam-Neeson-Absolution-3-091824-7f3275c2869d4176993ca10188874fc7.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
He’s also one to count his blessings. “I’m incredibly lucky,” he says. “I never, ever forget that. Even on a bad day on a movie set, for example, I always nip myself and say, ‘Come on, come on. You have nothing to complain about.’ And it’s true.”
Absolution is in theaters Nov. 1.
For more on Liam Neeson, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.
Source people.com
