Liam Neeson is one of the most dependable big-screen action heroes working today (just check out our Liam Neeson
movies list for proof).

From Darkman to Taken and Cold Pursuit, he consistently delivers the kind of thrills audiences crave in his intense movies. It’s not hard to see why he’s become so popular.

He’s credible as a guy you wouldn’t want to mess with, yet he also brings a lot of emotion and intelligence to the roles he plays. He’s versatile, too, able to tackle genres like drama, comedy, and action. There aren’t any stereotypical Liam Neeson roles because he can do just about anything.

Life off the screen proved to be a separate adventure for the actor. He has endured tragedy, generated occasional controversy, received honors and accolades, and made an indelible mark on modern cinema. These things you didn’t know about Liam Neeson will give you even more appreciation for who he is as both an actor and a man.

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He Raised Two Children As A Single Dad After His Wife’s Passing

Neeson endured an unthinkable tragedy in 2009. According to ABC News, his wife, actress Natasha Richardson, fell on a ski slope in Quebec and hit her head. She had an epidural hematoma that ended up claiming her life two days later.

The grief-stricken Neeson realized he needed to be strong for the two sons he and Richardson had together. He raised their boys, Micheál and Daniel, as a single dad. As told to GQ, he took extra care to teach them manners in the process.

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He Was Once A Champion Boxer

Raised a Catholic, Neeson told Men’s Journal he was 9 years old when his parish priest offered to teach him how to box. The “sweet science” came naturally to him, and Neeson discovered he possessed a strong left jab. He went on to become a champion fighter in three different weight divisions.

Despite his success in the ring, Neeson disliked the potential for abrasions and fractures, both to himself and any opponents he might face. He won his final match about seven years later, but decided not to continue boxing due to a concussion he had sustained during that fight.

All his pugilistic experience came in handy later, when he portrayed a boxer in the 1990 film The Big Man: Crossing the Line. 

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He Fought For Horse-Drawn Carriage Drivers In New York City

A lifelong admirer of horses, Neeson opted to insert himself into New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s 2013 attempt to ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park.

A handful of celebrities took up the cause, which many viewed as an animal-rights issue. Neeson decided to defy his peers by joining the other side of the debate and defending the drivers, according to Men’s Journal.

The actor invited city council members to visit the stables with him so they could see firsthand how well caretakers tended to the animals. It worked, attracting a lot of media attention in the process and helping to change public opinion. In the end, the carriages were allowed to continue transporting passengers.

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He Reportedly Punched A Teenager Who Threatened Him

Bad guys in movies learn quickly not to mess with Liam Neeson. So do people who take him on in real life. According to Neeson’s interview on Highly Questionable, in the mid-1970s, he was in training to become a teacher. One day, he attempted to get his rowdy students to settle down to begin his lesson.

A sizeable 15-year-old boy refused to listen, continuing to be disruptive. Neeson told him to leave the classroom, at which point the kid took out a blade.

Neeson responded by allegedly punching the student, though he later admitted in the interview that his actions were wrong. The school administration reprimanded Neeson, and he resigned a short time later.

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He Climbed A Mountain In Utah Despite A Fear Of Heights

Mollies Nipple is a mountain-like peak in Utah made of Navajo Sandstone. According to the Utah Office of Tourism, a climb or hike to the top takes a reported six to seven hours, and its difficulty level is rated as “strenuous” with “exposure to steep drop-offs” listed as one of its main perils.

Along with his son, Neeson climbed it despite having a fear of heights. He told The Independent:

It’s only 3,000 feet or something, but I was sh*t-scared, especially getting nearer the summit. It wasn’t pickaxe time, but it was pretty steep. Everybody says “don’t look down,” but you have to look down. It was scary, but I’m glad I did it. I did it for my son.

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He Advocated For Gun Control In The United States

Though he’s made his fair share of action films in which arms play a part, Neeson recognizes that real life is a lot different from a movie. In the wake of the 2015 shooting at the offices of the satirical Paris newspaper Charlie Hebdo, Neeson said in an interview with Gulf News that America has too many arms and it is “a disgrace.”

The Guardian reported in 2015 that a US manufacturer, Para USA, had released a statement, which read:

We will no longer provide firearms for use in films starring Liam Neeson and ask that our friends and partners in Hollywood refrain from associating our brand and products with his projects.

Despite Para USA’s response, Neeson held firm to his convictions that sensible regulations are necessary.

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He Was Appointed An Officer Of The Order Of The British Empire

The OBE – which stands for Officer of the British Empire – is an honor bestowed by the Queen on individuals who have made a significant accomplishment in business, charity, or the private sector. In 2000, Liam Neeson received this prestigious award for his services to the art of drama.

Interestingly, he waited two and a half years to pick it up. When he finally did, he told the BBC that he was “really weak-kneed” from nervousness over being in the Queen’s presence. “I’ve not been so nervous since I met Muhammad Ali,” he said.

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He Allegedly Enjoys Hanging Out With Crew Members

Supposedly, he is not only kind to crew members on set, Neeson also welcomes them into his home. Ellen Freund, the prop master on Leap of Faith and Nell, told Men’s Journal the actor and his wife would choose six crew members to enjoy dinner and wine at their home each week.

“It wasn’t just the upper echelons, either – a grip or an electrician, it didn’t matter,” she said. Doing so was his way of showing appreciation to his co-workers.

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He Gave Up Smoking And Drinking

Kicking a bad habit is difficult, especially when that habit comes with an addictive quality. According to GQ, Neeson did it twice by giving up both smoking and drinking. The actor had started drinking heavily following his wife’s tragic passing, often downing two bottles of Pinot Noir a night.

Once he realized it was getting out of hand, he used willpower to quit, just as he had with Guinness beer and Marlboro Lights years before.

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He Worked As A Forklift Operator In A Brewery

Almost every actor had a “normal” job before becoming famous. Neeson told Metro he used to work as a forklift driver in a Guinness factory. The gig inspired him to become an actor. As he learned the ins and outs of operating a forklift as an apprentice, a more seasoned driver asked if this was what he truly wanted to do in life.

Neeson responded by saying he’d prefer to act. Performing seemed more fulfilling than operating machinery, so he decided to pursue it more intensely.

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He Spoke Out About Unequal Pay For Women

The pay gap between men and women in the entertainment business has long been an issue. Men often get paid far more money than their female counterparts, even if their positions are equal. Male superstars, meanwhile, frequently earn bigger paydays than female superstars.

While promoting his movie The Commuter, according to Entertainment Weekly, Neeson told an interviewer the pay gap is “f*cking disgraceful.” He also said it’s vital for men to take an active role in ensuring things are equal:

We’re starting, and it’s starting with these extraordinary actresses and brave ladies. We, as men, have got to be part of it, you know? We started it, so we have to be part of the solution.

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He Voiced A Character In The ‘Fallout 3’ Video Game

Neeson’s talents aren’t limited to the silver screen. He provided the voice of James, the father of main character the Lone Wanderer, in the popular Fallout 3 video game. According to Engadget, the game’s executive producer, Todd Howard, said the writers had Neeson specifically in mind for the character.

Fans and industry folk alike celebrated the actor’s work. He received a nomination for a 2008 Spike Video Game Award for his vocal performance.

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He Appeared In Two Super Bowl Commercials

Almost as eagerly anticipated as the Super Bowl each year is the barrage of clever commercials that air during the game. It’s virtually a rite of passage for an actor to star in one. Neeson has been in two – both ads feature the actor happily spoofing his tough-guy screen persona.

The first was a 2015 commercial for the Clash of Clans cell phone game. In the spot, Neeson delivers a riff on his infamous Taken speech, this time addressed to a player who is striking him in the app.

The second, from 2016, finds him touting the visual magic of LG television sets in a spoof of conspiracy thrillers. His son Micheál co-stars.

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He Was The Inspiration For The Big-Screen Optimus Prime

If you saw Michael Bay’s original 2007 Transformers movie, you might have sensed something strangely familiar about Optimus. On the DVD audio commentary, Bay revealed he told the animators to use Neeson as a reference point.

Specifically, he wanted them to replicate his body language for the character.

Optimus Prime is supposed to be a commanding figure, so Bay picked the most commanding actor he could think of to use as inspiration.

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He Describes Fly-Fishing As ‘Thrilling’

One of Neeson’s favorite hobbies is fly-fishing, which he learned to do while shooting the 1994 film Nell.

A crew member who had recently worked on the fly-fishing drama A River Runs Through It gave him lessons. The actor took to it immediately and has fished around the world.

He talked about his love for the hobby in an interview with Men’s Journal:

Eight times out of 10, I won’t catch anything. The thrill for me is being on a river with my pouch and rod, and I know there’s a fish over there, or at least I think there is, so I’ll do five or six casts.

That fly’s not working, take it off, put on another one, try again. Before you know it, three hours will have gone past.