Join or Sign In

Continue with Facebook Continue with email

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Liam Neeson Biography

Birth Name:William John Neeson

Birth Place:Ballymena, Ireland

Profession Actor, Soundtrack, Producer

Fast Facts

Appointed a Goodwill Ambassador to UNICEF in March 2011
Named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth in the New Years Honors 2000
Received the 2010 Savannah Film Festival Achievement in Cinema Award
Received an honorary doctorate from Queen's University, Belfast in 2009
Member, by marriage, of the famed Redgrave acting family
Worked at the Guinness brewery, was a truck driver and was training to become a teacher before joining a theater in 1976
Quote: "No, I don't get obsessed with acting․ Because in the past when I have got obsessed about it, it really got in the way of the creative process․ I've learned to hang the character on the coat-peg at the end of the day, and when I leave in the morning I pick it up again․ And I had to work at that because the other way lies a strange sort of madness․"
His career took a new turn after being transformed into a full-fledged action star with roles in "Taken", the "Batman" trilogy, "Clash of the Titans" and more
Named senior boxing champion of Ulster, Ireland as a teenager
Participated in the Van Morrison tribute album "No Prima Dona: The Songs of Van Morrison․"
Auditioned for the role of Fezzik the giant in "The Princess Bride․"
Was offered a part in 1981's "Excalibur" by John Boorman

Awards

1991Saturn Award-Best Actor: nominated
1992Best Actor-: winner
1993ACCA-Best Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
1994Oscar-Best Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
1994BAFTA Film Award-Best Actor: nominated
1994CFCA Award-Best Actor: winner
1994DFWFCA Award-Best Actor: nominated
1994Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
1995ALFS Award-Actor of the Year: nominated
1996Volpi Cup-Best Actor: winner
1997CFCA Award-Best Actor: nominated
1997Evening Standard British Film Award-Best Actor: winner
1997Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
1997OFTA Film Award-Best Drama Actor: nominated
2000Saturn Award-Best Actor: nominated
2000Blockbuster Entertainment Award-Favorite Actor - Action/Science Fiction: nominated
2000Blockbuster Entertainment Award-Favorite Actor - Horror: nominated
2000MTV Movie Award-Best Fight: nominated
2002ACCA-Best Cast Ensemble: nominated
2004LAFCA Award-Best Actor: winner
2004PFCS Award-Best Ensemble Acting: nominated
2005Movies for Grownups Award-Best Actor: winner
2005Independent Spirit Award-Best Male Lead: nominated
2005Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
2005IFTA Award-Best Actor in a Feature Film: winner
2005OFTA Film Award-Best Ensemble: nominated
2005OFTA Film Award-Best Actor: nominated
2005Golden Satellite Award-Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama: nominated
2005VFCC Award-Best Actor: nominated
2006Saturn Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2006ALFS Award-British Actor of the Year: nominated
2010Irina Palm-Worst British Supporting Actor: nominated
2010IFTA Award-Best Actor in a Lead Role in Television: nominated
2011Yoga Award-Worst Foreign Actor: winner
2012BTVA Television Voice Acting Award-Best Vocal Performance in a Television Series in a Guest Role: nominated
2012Golden Schmoes-Best Actor of the Year: nominated
2012Irina Palm-Worst British Actor: nominated
2012Jupiter Award-Best International Actor: nominated
2013Chainsaw Award-Best Actor: winner
2013Razzie Award-Worst Supporting Actor: nominated
2014Felix-Best Actor: nominated
2014MTV Movie Award-Best Fight: nominated
2015Award of Excellence-Voice Over Talent: winner
2015BTVA People's Choice Voice Acting Award-Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film: winner
2015BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award-Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film: nominated
2015BTVA People's Choice Voice Acting Award-Best Male Vocal Performance in a Feature Film in a Supporting Role: winner
2015BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award-Best Male Vocal Performance in a Feature Film in a Supporting Role: nominated
2015BTVA Special/DVD Voice Acting Award-Best Male Vocal Performance in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Short: nominated
2015OFTA Film Award-Best Voice-Over Performance: nominated
2016Critics' Choice TV Award-Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series: nominated
2016IFJA Award-Best Vocal/Motion Capture Performance: nominated
2016WAFCA Award-Best Motion Capture Performance: nominated
2016WAFCA Award-Best Voice Performance: winner
2017BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award-Best Male Lead Vocal Performance in a Feature Film: winner
2017HFCS Award-Best Vocal/Motion Capture Performance: nominated
2017OFTA Film Award-Best Voice-Over Performance: nominated
2018IFJA Award-Best Ensemble Acting: winner
2019Gold Derby Film Award-Ensemble Cast: nominated
2019National Film Award-Best Actor: nominated
2019OFTA Film Award-Best Ensemble: nominated
2020IFTA Award-Best Actor in a Lead Role - Film: nominated
2020National Film Award-Outstanding Performance: nominated
2022CCA Super Award-Best Actor in an Action Movie: nominated
2023IFTA Award-Best Lead Actor - Film: nominated
2025Family Film Award-Favorite Actor in a Feature Film: nominated
2025IFJA Award-Best Lead Performance: nominated
2025SDFCS Award-Best Comedic Performance: nominated
2026Satellite Award-Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: nominated