Liam Neeson was born on June 7, 1952, in Ballymena, Ireland. His original career aspiration was to become a teacher and after high school he enrolled at the St. Mary’s Teaching College in Belfast. Later deciding to follow his dreams, he changed course and joined the Belfast Lyric Players’ Theatre in 1976. Shortly thereafter Neeson made his stage debut in the play The Risen People. Before his movie debut in the 1981 Excalibur, Neeson also worked on stage with Dublin’s Abbey Theatre. Although Excalibur was not extremely successful, it led to further appearances in film and on television mini-series, as well as his more successful role in Suspect.

After playing the lead in Darkman, and appearing in Leap of Faith and Husbands and Wives, Neeson was asked to play the starring role in the 1993, Spielberg-directed Schindler’s List. The deeply-moving film saw Neeson playing the role of Oscar Schindler, the real life hero who saved over 1,000 Jews from the Nazi regime by turning his factory into a refuge. The film was praised as deeply touching, ranked #3 on the American Film Institute's 100 Most Inspiring Movies of All Time, and earned Neeson Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. Since this role, Neeson has appeared and starred in several successful films. Some of his most memorable appearances were his role as Jedi mentor Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode 1-The Phantom Menace; his portrayal as a priest in the critically-acclaimed Gangs of New York, which also featured Daniel Day Lewis and Leonardo DiCaprio; his role as sex researcher Alfred Kinsey in the aptly titled Kinsey; and his leading role in Batman Begins. Neeson’s upcoming films include Seraphim Falls, also starring Pierce Brosnan and Angelica Houston; and The White Rose.

Before marrying his current wife, Neeson was linked to several well-known singers and actresses, including actresses Julia Roberts and Brooke Shields. Singers Barbara Streisand and Sinead O Connor (who caused worldwide outrage when she ripped a picture of the pope on live television) were two other romantic interests. Neeson settled down in 1994 when he married Natasha Richardson, a movie and award-winning stage actress. Richardson has appeared with Neeson in several films. The couple is currently married and has two sons, Michael Richard, born in 1995, and Daniel Jack, born in 1996.

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