Inside Liam Neeson's Troubled Love Life Since The Death Of His Wife Natasha Richardson
Liam Neeson has a particular set of skills, but sadly, they don't include finding lasting love for the second time around. The "Taken" actor was quite the lothario in the late '80s and early '90s, but his days of dating famous faces like Brooke Shields, Helen Mirren, and Julia Roberts — he even embarked on a short relationship with Barbra Streisand — all ended when he nabbed a role in the Broadway play "Anna Christie" in 1993. Neeson starred opposite Natasha Richardson in the Eugene O'Neill classic drama. The actors fell in love, and one year later, they were married.
After adding two sons to their family, the couple settled in for their happily ever after. Tragically, the fairy tale came to a screeching halt in March 2009, when Richardson hit her head while skiing. Her condition quickly declined, and she died at the age of 45, with Neeson by her side for her final moments.
While some would have thought Neeson would eventually return to his pre-marital dating ways, falling in love with a co-star or taking out celebrities, the "Love Actually" star hasn't had an easy time meeting his next great love.
Liam Neeson had at least one serious relationship after being widowed
Immediately after the death of his wife Natasha Richardson, actor Liam Neeson kept mostly to himself. He mourned in private with his and Richardson's two sons, who were aged 11 and 12 when their mother died. In September 2010, though, he seemed to be taking a chance on a second romance, when he began appearing around London with a new lady on his arm.
Without officially confirming or denying their involvement, Neeson and British public relations executive Freya St. Johnston started showing up at events, spending vacations together, and dining at celebrity hot spots in the UK where the actor was filming. By the fall of 2012, however, their two-year relationship was over, with sources saying Neeson was eager to return to New York to spend more time with his kids.
It seems that the couple has remained friends, though. In 2014, they were photographed heading to dinner together, while 2016 saw them side by side at the Irish Film and TV Awards. In 2017, the "Schindler's List" Oscar nominee playfully popped a clown's red nose on St. Johnston when she showed up to his "Red Nose Day Actually" Comic Relief special. While affection is obviously still in play, the couple hasn't been in the same country regularly enough to continue a real romance, and so Neeson has maintained his single status.
Neeson has teased other romances, but nothing was real
Liam Neeson has teased fans about his love life more than a few times in the years since the death of his wife Natasha Richardson. In addition to keeping in touch with his one romantic companion since her passing, he's also mentioned a few other women.
In 2016, when asked during an interview if was seeing anyone, Neeson said he was, but she was too famous to name names. His response created a frenzy of guess-the-star, but as it turned out, his reps later confirmed he was only joking. "Obviously, the joking nature of the conversation didn't come across in the print version of the interview," his rep informed the Daily News.
While promoting his movie "Blacklight" on Sunrise in 2022, Neeson shared his experience filming the flick in Australia. "Made a couple of pals, fell in love there, once, but she was taken," he said. The remark sparked even more queries about his broken heart, but again, it was revealed he was only joking, using "taken" as a play on his famous movie.
It's been said that Neeson's troubled love life is due to his continued devotion to his late wife. In August 2023, he shared on the "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend" podcast that Richardson is still very much with him. "We still talk, every day," he said.