Two actors fell in love while performing together in the 1993 Broadway revival of Anna Christie. Their chemistry was unmistakable, even though she was married at the time. Her marriage eventually ended, and in 1994 she married her co-star, Liam Neeson. The pair shared a deep, natural connection that audiences could see onstage. She later joked about Neeson’s reputation as a ladies’ man, saying, “I’m glad women fall in love with him because I know why.”
Their bond only strengthened after marriage. They welcomed their first son, Micheál, in 1995, followed by Daniel 18 months later. For years they built a happy life together, raising their boys while continuing their acting careers. Tragedy struck in 2009 when Natasha Richardson suffered a head injury during a skiing lesson. She initially brushed off the fall, but her condition rapidly declined.
Doctors determined she was brain-dead. Remembering an earlier promise they’d made to each other, Neeson made the heartbreaking decision to remove life support after loved ones had said goodbye. Micheál, their eldest, later followed his parents into acting, appearing in projects like Anchorman 2, Vox Lux, Big Dogs, and Paradise. To honor his mother, he eventually changed his last name to Richardson.
“It was mostly a tribute to my mother and a way to carry her with me,” he told The Times. Neeson supported the decision, calling it a beautiful gesture that meant a great deal to Natasha’s family. Today, Micheál continues to build his career, carrying forward both his mother’s name and her legacy.