Liam Neeson Opens Up For the First Time About Natasha Richardson's Death

By John Mitchell Posted Feb 15th 2011 11:41PM

Nearly two years after his wife, Tony-winning actress Natasha Richardson, passed away following a skiing accident, Liam Neeson is opening up for the first time about that terrible night in March 2009.

"I walked into the emergency [room] -- it's like seventy, eighty people, broken arms, black eyes, all that -- and for the first time in years, nobody recognizes me," the 'Taken' star told Esquire. "Not the nurses. The patients. No one. And I've come all this way, and they won't let me see her. And I'm looking past them, starting to push -- I'm like, 'F**k, I know my wife's back there someplace.'"

Neeson rarely speaks about his private life, and was initially hesitant to talk about Richardson with Esquire writer Tom Chiarella. However, while recounting a motorcycle accident that put him in the hospital in 2000, the Oscar-nominated star of 'Schindler's List' began to discuss the tragic parallels between the accident he survived and the one that took the life of his wife.

After striking a deer, Neeson lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into a ditch, breaking his pelvis in two places. He was transferred to New York City's Lenox Hill Hospital, and Richardson, who was filming in Canada, rushed to be by his side. "I found out later they'd told her I wouldn't last the night," Neeson said. "Well, they never f**king told me that."

The scene would be repeated nine years later, only in reverse, with Neeson rushing from the Canadian set of the film 'Chloe' to be with Richardson, who had hit her head in a skiing accident.

After the fall, Richardson was initially lucid and simply asked to be taken back to her room, dismissing the ambulances that reported to the scene. Three hours later, however, the actress was taken to a small Canadian hospital after complaining of a headache. Within a few hours she was transferred to a larger hospital in Montreal. Neeson rushed from the set of 'Chloe' to be with Richardson, who had fallen into a coma as a result of a brain hemorrhage sustained during the fall.

The day after Richardson's accident, she was flown to Lenox Hill Hospital, where she died on March 18, 2009. On March 19, theater lights on Broadway and in London's West End were dimmed in honor of the respected actress and dedicated AIDS research activist.

liam neeson esquire

"What am I gonna do? How am I going to get past the security?" Neeson told Chiarella, recounting what was going through his mind when he arrived at the hospital. "And I see two nurses, ladies, having a cigarette. I walk up, and luckily one of them recognizes me. And I'll tell you, I was so f**king grateful -- for the first time in I don't know how long -- to be recognized. And this one, she says, 'Go in that back door there.' She points me to it. 'Make a left. She's in a room there.' So I get there, just in time. And all these young doctors, who look all of eighteen years of age, they tell me the worst."

According to Chiarella, Neeson stopped the interview briefly while discussing Richardson, blinking back tears while gazing across the eatery at members of the late actress's extended family, who were coincidentally at the restaurant -- a favorite of Neeson and Richardson's -- the day of his interview with Esquire.

The actor returned to the set of 'Chloe' immediately after Richardson's funeral. "I just think I was still in a bit of shock," he said. "But it's kind of a no-brainer to go back to that work. It's a wee bit of a blur, but I know the tragedy hadn't just really smacked me yet."

Neeson and Richardson have two teenage sons, Michael and Daniel.

"I think I survived by running away some. Running away to work. Listen, I know how old I am and that I'm just a shoulder injury from losing roles like the one in 'Taken,'" the actor told Esquire. "So I stay with the training, I stay with the work. It's easy enough to plan jobs, to plan a lot of work. That's effective. But that's the weird thing about grief. You can't prepare for it. You think you're gonna cry and get it over with. You make those plans, but they never work."

Neeson's full interview is featured in Esquire's latest issue, on newsstands Feb. 22.

Tags: liam neeson, natasha richardson

Comments

(122)

Wednesday 16 February

By Allison

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I can't believe a person can read this and walk away with only the f word and the number of people in the ER sticking with them. Did you ever think that your haloed celebrities were just interviewed by other magazines and reporters who left out the cursing? He's from a country that loves the f word anyway. You have no right to belittle someone's grief by judging their grammar. Shame on you. My God says not to do that. Great witness you are.

By Heidi Ann

My heart went out to Liam and his sons when this happened. Especially the son who was with his mother when this happened. I have prayed for them alot over the years and yes I can understand why Liam swore in the article. I would be angry too. It's a painful thing. Liam, on the off chance, you ever get to see this, please know that you have been prayed for over the years since you have lost your wife and I am very sorry for your loss.

By Tweet

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She may have lived, like he did with his accident in NY, if she had been in the US instead of Canada. That is the difference between our health care in the US, and the socialized health care in Canada.

By Greg

I can tell you its a tough thing to have to loose the ones you love. The last ten years have been the worst my family has seen. I lost a nephew one week and a brother the next. A year later we watched as my Brother in law slowly died from ALS. Its as Liam says ,your never really prepared for the loss of a loved one,not really.

By bestbunny10

By Ivette

I'm with you wholeheartedly. People tend to focus on the language he used. He's not "acting" now. He's still grieving and it shows. He looks like a decent, serious man. Another "actor" would probably be with another woman by now. Let him be and just pray for him and his family. It's a tragic loss for all.

By rtaylortitle

You are absolutely correct. What a bunch if ninnies and wusses responding negatively about Liam and his choice of words.

By Pam

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Isnt' that kind of similar story to the new role is playing in a film where no one knows him, not even his wife, wierd.

By susie

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It was a tragic and very sad accident and I have felt sorry for him and her family, BUT, why do all these 2 bit actors find it necessary to constantly use the f word and take God's name in vain? I am sick of most of these hollywood types....most are famous but mouths full of trash. Makes me sick when talking to a reporter about his dying wife and he feels the need to use the f word.

who cares what language he used. Who cares what expletives he said..The man lost his wife for heavens sake...What a bunch of petty shallow ridiculous people you are. There are no 10 year old listening here..."Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me"...Ever heard that??? wORDS ARE SIMPLY THAT--WORDS.. The man is still in pain WHO CARES IF HE USES THE F-WORD ALL THE TIME. I CERTAINLY DONT.

By Katie

Susie, and just what would you say if they wouldn't let you in to see your spouse as he/ or she / what ever your personal life style might be, lay dying? Knowing that if you could have gotten there a little sooner you might have been able to hold their hand as they left this world.

By Sharon

You go girl!!!!! I guess he thought he was suppose to be treated like a "star" when he went into the hospital.

By alfred

HE SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD MAN. I FELL VERY BAD FOR HIM

By ALFRED

GOOD ANSWER..BESTBUNNY10

By george f flaherty

by george i think i've got it

By Say What

Some of you people need to grow up . If I lost the love of my life I'ed be a little pissed too and might just say a dirty word it makes you mad at the world sometimes when dumd S^&t happens. Big deal dirty words I think we might need more I can think of a few I would like to say ... GEEESSEESEEEE

By lmm1366

It is very sad to know that these two people were very much in love and have a beautiful family together. For something so sudden and tragic to enter their lives and change it forever. My heart goes out to Liam and his sons. I really admire him and I read somewhere and seen photos that he did find another to love and seemed happy again for which he deserves to be!!!!!!

By Dana D.

His use of words are exactly the same as saying, "Damn, damn, damn!" His agony recounting those moments when his loved one died is glaringly apparent. How arrogant of those who criticize him in his grief. It takes a long, long time for the sharp edge of grief to soften.

By Pat Kaiser

I saw Liam on Broadway in The Crucible and a friend of mine was also in that play... my friend has been in television, movies and Broadway for years and KNOWS actors, their good and their bad. He had nothing but praise for Liam Neeson and said that he had never worked with such an amazing person, as a man and an actor. And this man knows... and from my limited experience, I just want to say that I received my monies worth for The Crucible. He was amazing as was Laura Linney and the other actors. As for his cussing, give me a break. Where do you live, under a f**** rock????

By Kim

I know the pain he's going through all too well, unfortunately, after losing my other half in April 2008. We wanted to grow old together too, but that was taken away forever. When the love is that deep, you never, ever get over it; the grief doesn't go away, you just get more adept at dealing with it. God bless you, Liam.

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