Age, Biography, and Wiki
Liam Neeson was born on June 7, 1952, in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. He began his journey in the entertainment industry with early stage work at the Lyric Players' Theatre in Belfast. Neeson's breakout role came with the 1993 film "Schindler's List," earning him an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Oskar Schindler. This marked the beginning of his successful career as a versatile actor, known for his dramatic and action roles.
| Occupation | Voice Actors |
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| Date of Birth | 7 June 1952 |
| Age | 73 Years |
| Birth Place | Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland |
| Horoscope | Gemini |
| Country | Ireland |
Height, Weight & Measurements
- Height: 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm)
- Weight: Approximately 90 kg (198 lbs) Neeson's tall stature often adds to his commanding presence on screen.
| Height | 6 feet 4 inches |
| Weight | 198 lbs |
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Dating & Relationship status
Liam Neeson was married to actress Natasha Richardson from 1994 until her untimely death in 2009. He has since kept his personal life relatively private, focusing on his career and personal well-being.
In 1993, Neeson made his Broadway debut playing Mat Burke in the revival of the Eugene O'Neill play Anna Christie starring opposite his Ellis Island co-star and future wife Natasha Richardson. For his performance he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. The following year they also worked together in Nell (1994) starring Jodie Foster. He then took leading roles in the period piece drama films including playing the lead role of Rob Roy MacGregor in the historical drama Rob Roy (1995) opposite Jessica Lange, Brian Cox, and Tim Roth. Critic Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times praised his ability to be a leading man writing, "Neeson, tall and grand, makes an effortless hero as Rob Roy".
In 2005, Neeson took multiple roles in mainstream blockbuster films. He portrayed Godfrey of Ibelin in Ridley Scott's epic adventure Kingdom of Heaven, Ra's al Ghul, one of the main villains in Christopher Nolan's action film Batman Begins; and Father Bernard in Neil Jordan's adaptation of Patrick McCabe's novel Breakfast on Pluto. That same year he replaced Brian Cox playing Aslan the Lion in the fantasy adventure film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), an adaptation of the C. S. Lewis book of the same name. In The Simpsons episode "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star" (2005), he voiced the kindly priest who (briefly) converts Bart and Homer to Catholicism.
In 2007, he starred in the American Civil War epic Seraphim Falls. Neeson voiced the main character's father, James, in the video game Fallout 3. Executive producer Todd Howard said, "This role was written with Liam in mind, and provides the dramatic tone for the entire game". Fallout 3, the third game in the Fallout series, was extremely well received by critics and shipped 4.7 million copies by the end of 2008, the year it was released. In the director's commentary of the 2007 Transformers DVD, Michael Bay said he had told the animators to seek inspiration from Neeson in creating Optimus Prime's body language. Neeson appeared as Alistair Little in the BBC Northern Ireland/Big Fish Films television drama Five Minutes of Heaven, which tells the true story of a young Protestant man convicted of murdering a Catholic boy during The Troubles.
Neeson had a supporting role as the henchman Bad Cop/Good Cop in the animated film The Lego Movie, which was a critical and commercial success. Neeson later played Bill Marks in the 2014 action film Non-Stop. The film was released on 28 February 2014. He also appeared, uncredited, as God in the BBC2 series Rev.. Neeson stars in the 2014 film A Walk Among the Tombstones, an adaption of the best-selling novel of the same name, in which he plays former cop Matthew Scudder, a detective hired to hunt the killers of a drug dealer's wife. During Super Bowl XLIX, Supercell did a Clash of Clans commercial with Neeson playing the game as "AngryNeeson52" and vowing revenge on his opponent "BigBuffetBoy85" while waiting for his scone at a bakery. The appearance was a parody of his role in Taken. In 2016, Neeson narrated the RTÉ One three-part documentary on the Easter Rising, 1916. Following the success of the Taken films, Neeson has become increasingly known as a star of action thriller films. Besides The A-Team, Unknown, The Grey, Non-Stop, A Walk Among the Tombstones, Run All Night, The Commuter and Retribution, other recent action films starring Neeson have included Cold Pursuit (2019), Honest Thief (2020), The Marksman (2021), The Ice Road (2021), Blacklight (2022), Memory (2022), In the Land of Saints and Sinners (2024) and Absolution (2024). Neeson has indicated a desire to retire from the action genre though the films have taken his acting career in a new direction.
Neeson's mother, Kitty, died in June 2020. He was unable to return to his hometown for her funeral due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Neeson is a long-term supporter of the need for more integrated education in Northern Ireland; that is, educating Catholics and Protestants together. In 2017 he said, "As Northern Ireland moves forward from division, who do we look to for a future we can share? Our children - so why do we continue to educate them apart? Different religions, different backgrounds, different schools. There is another way. Protestants and Catholics, other beliefs and none, learning and working together every day." He has praised schools where parents have voted to transform segregated schools into integrated schools, and fronted television adverts to encourage more parents to integrate their children's schools.
In February 2019, Neeson gained public and media controversy after a press junket interview he conducted with The Independent while promoting Cold Pursuit, a film about a father seeking revenge for his son's murder. He said that he generated his character's "primal" anger by recounting an experience he had 40 years ago, in which a female friend of his had been raped by a stranger. After learning the attacker was a black man, Neeson said that he spent a week going "up and down areas with a cosh, hoping some 'black bastard' would come out of a pub and have a go" so that he "could kill him". In the interview, he also said he was ashamed of the experience and that the things he did and said were "horrible". He said, "It's awful [...] but I did learn a lesson from it, when I eventually thought, 'What the fuck are you doing?'"
| Parents | |
| Husband | Natasha Richardson (m. 1994-2009) |
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Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Liam Neeson's net worth is estimated to be approximately $120 million, primarily due to his successful film career and box office royalties. His annual salary is reported to be in the range of millions, with some sources citing it as high as ₹5,15,83,89,360 (approximately $63 million USD) per year. However, this figure may vary based on the specific source and exchange rates.
Career, Business, and Investments
Neeson's career spans over four decades, featuring iconic roles in films like "Michael Collins," "Les Misérables," and "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace." His pivotal role in the 2008 film "Taken" marked his transition into action films, which significantly boosted his popularity and earnings. Beyond acting, Neeson has not publicly disclosed significant business investments or ventures, focusing primarily on his acting career.
At age nine, Neeson began boxing lessons at the All Saints Youth Club, and went on to win a number of regional titles before quitting at 17. He acted in school productions during his teens. His interest in acting and decision to become an actor were also influenced by Ian Paisley, founder of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), into whose Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster he sneaked. He said, "[Paisley] had a magnificent presence and it was incredible to watch him just Bible-thumping away... it was acting, but it was also great acting and stirring too." In 1971, he joined a physics and computer science course at Queen's University Belfast before leaving to work for the Guinness Brewery. At Queen's, he discovered a talent for football and was spotted by Seán Thomas at Bohemian FC. There was a club trial in Dublin and Neeson played one game as a substitute against Shamrock Rovers FC, but was not offered a contract.
After leaving university, Neeson returned to Ballymena, where he worked in a variety of casual jobs, such as a forklift operator at Guinness and a lorry driver. He also attended teacher training college for two years in Newcastle upon Tyne before again returning to his hometown. In 1976, he joined the Lyric Players Theatre in Belfast, where he performed for two years. He got his first film experience in 1977, playing Jesus Christ and The Evangelist in the religious film Pilgrim's Progress (1978). He moved to Dublin in 1978 when he was offered a part in Ron Hutchinson's Says I, Says He, a drama about The Troubles, at the Project Arts Centre. He acted in several other Project productions and joined the Abbey Theatre (the National Theatre of Ireland). In 1980, he performed with Stephen Rea, Ray McAnally and Mick Lally, playing Doalty in Brian Friel's play Translations, the first production of Friel's and Rea's Field Day Theatre Company, first presented in the Guildhall in Derry on 23 September 1980.
Neeson's performance as Qui-Gon received positive reviews and a Saturn Award nomination. A stock recording of his voice from The Phantom Menace can be heard during a scene in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002). Neeson was later reported to be appearing in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), but ultimately did not. In the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–20), he voiced Qui-Gon in two episodes of the third season and one episode of the sixth season, and he also made a voice cameo as Qui-Gon in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Neeson appeared as Qui-Gon in the final episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), appearing as a force ghost to Obi-Wan, in an uncredited cameo, marking his first live-action portrayal of Qui-Gon since The Phantom Menace. He later voiced Qui-Gon again for an episode of the animated Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi (2022).
Neeson holds Irish and American citizenship, having been naturalised as an American citizen in 2009. He primarily identifies as Irish. After taking up American citizenship, he was adamant he was not turning his back on his Irish roots. In 2009, nearly four decades after he was an undergraduate in physics and computer science at Queen's University, Belfast, the university awarded him an honorary doctorate which was presented to him in New York by Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson. In March 2011, he was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. He is a patron of Belfast-based charity and film festival CineMagic, which helps young people get involved in the movie industry.
A heavy smoker earlier in his career, Neeson quit smoking in 2003 while working on Love Actually. When he took the role of Hannibal for the 2010 film adaptation of The A-Team, he had reservations about smoking cigars (a signature trait of the character), but agreed to do it for the film.
Neeson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in her 2000 New Year Honours. The American Ireland Fund honoured Neeson with their Performing Arts Award for the great distinction he has brought to Ireland at their 2008 Dinner Gala in New York City. In 2009, at a ceremony in New York, Neeson was awarded an honorary doctorate by Queen's University, Belfast. On 9 April 2016, he was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award by the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) at the Mansion House, Dublin, with Irish President Michael D. Higgins presenting the award. In 2017, Neeson was listed by UK-based company Richtopia at number 74 in the list of 200 Most Influential Philanthropists and Social Entrepreneurs Worldwide. In January 2018, he was awarded the Distinguished Service for the Irish Abroad Award by Irish President Michael D. Higgins, who described it as an award "for Irish people abroad who are making a contribution to humanity".
Social Network
Liam Neeson is not known for being highly active on social media platforms. He prefers to maintain a private life outside of his professional commitments.
He said that growing up as a Catholic in a predominantly Protestant town made him cautious, and once said he felt like a "second-class citizen" there, but has also said he was never made to feel "inferior or even different" at the town's predominantly Protestant technical college. "It would be colourful to imagine I had a rebellious, uproarious Irish background," he has said, "but the facts were much greyer. Irish, yes. But all that nationalistic stuff, crying into your Guinness and singing rebel songs—that was never my scene." He has described himself as "out of touch" with the politics and history of Northern Ireland until becoming aware of protests by fellow students after Bloody Sunday, a massacre in Derry in 1972 during the Troubles, which encouraged him to learn more local history. In a 2009 interview, he said, "I never stop thinking about [the Troubles]. I've known guys and girls who have been perpetrators of violence and victims. Protestants and Catholics. It's part of my DNA."
In 1980, filmmaker John Boorman saw him on stage as Lennie Small in Of Mice and Men and offered him the role of Sir Gawain in the Arthurian film Excalibur. After the role, Neeson moved to London, where he continued working on stage, and in small-budget films and television. He lived with actress Helen Mirren, whom he met working on Excalibur. Between 1982 and 1987, he starred in five films, most notably with Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins in 1984's The Bounty and Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons in 1986's The Mission. Neeson guest-starred in the third season of the television series Miami Vice in 1986, and moved to Hollywood the next year to take higher-profile roles. He starred with Cher and Dennis Quaid in Suspect, which brought him critical acclaim. In 1988, he appeared with Clint Eastwood in the fifth Dirty Harry film, The Dead Pool, as Peter Swan, a horror film director. In 1990, he had a starring role in Sam Raimi's Darkman. Although the film was successful, Neeson's subsequent years did not bring him the same recognition. He also starred in the eponymous role for the film Ethan Frome (1993).
In June 2012, Neeson's publicist denied reports that Neeson was converting to Islam. Neeson has expressed an affection for the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, that he grew accustomed to while filming Taken 2 in Istanbul: "By the third week, it was like I couldn't live without it. It really became hypnotic and very moving for me in a very special way. Very beautiful." He also expressed admiration for the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
In 2000, Neeson was offered the "Freedom of the Town of Ballymena" by the Ballymena Borough Council, but because of objections made by members of the Democratic Unionist Party regarding his comments that he had felt like a "second-class citizen" growing up as a Catholic in the town, he declined the award, citing tensions. Following the controversy, Neeson wrote a letter to the council, stating; "I will always remain very proud of my upbringing in, and association with, the town and my country of birth, which I will continue to promote at every opportunity. Indeed, I regard the enduring support over the years from all sections of the community in Ballymena as being more than sufficient recognition for any success which I may have achieved as an actor." Subsequently, on 28 January 2013, Neeson received the Freedom of the Borough from Ballymena Borough Council at a ceremony in the town.
Education
Neeson attended St. Patrick's College in Ballymena and later studied physics and computer science at Queen's University Belfast, though he did not complete his degree. Instead, he pursued a career in acting, which led to his early involvement with the Lyric Players' Theatre.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of Liam Neeson's life, career, and financial status as of 2025, highlighting his enduring impact on the film industry.
Brought up Catholic, he was named Liam after a local priest. He has three sisters, Elizabeth, Bernadette, and Rosaleen. He attended St Patrick's College, Ballymena, from 1963 to 1967, and later recalled that his love of drama began there.
In 1999, Neeson starred as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Director George Lucas cast Neeson because he considered him a "master actor, who the other actors will look up to, who has got the qualities of strength that the character demands." As the first Star Wars film to be released in 16 years, it was surrounded by media anticipation. Neeson's connection to Star Wars started in the Crown Bar, Belfast. He told Ricki Lake, "I probably wouldn't have taken the role if it wasn't for the advice of Peter King in the Crown during a Lyric reunion." Despite mixed reviews from critics and fans, the film was a box office success.
