Single Father Liam Neeson’s Oldest Son Is a ‘Handsome’ Actor Who Changed His Name to Honor His Late Mother

• Liam Neeson’s oldest son honored his late mother by taking her last name.
• Micheál Richardson’s father didn’t want him to follow in his career footsteps, preferring he do something with his hands instead.
• Liam’s wife died suddenly at a young age, leaving him to raise two sons alone.

While most children with famous parents would jump at the chance to ride the waves of their stardom, actor Liam Neeson’s son, Micheál, isn’t one of them. In late 2018, it was revealed that he’d chosen to drop his father’s last name and use his late mother’s instead.

The “Taken” star’s son chose to honor his mother, Natasha Richardson, by being called Micheál Richardson. Natasha’s actress mother, Vanessa Redgrave, was the one who confirmed that her grandson had officially made the change.

Redgrave explained that her grandchild didn’t make the change to “avoid his father’s fame. Instead, she said it was because he wished to hold her close to him, and the older actress recalled how remarkable she was in her chosen field.

Over the years, Liam’s fans have come to appreciate his son, especially his looks. For instance, in February 2016, a Twitter or X user noted how the celebrity’s son “is gorgeously handsome,” and they weren’t the only ones to praise him.

In July 2021, when a Liam X fan page shared a short Facebook clip advertising the actor’s Netflix movie, “The Ice Road,” one follower couldn’t help but comment about the star’s son. The social media user revealed they’d seen the celebrity’s “delicious” film, “Made in Italy,” where he starred alongside Micheál.

The person first noted how the well-known actor was “always good” and described his son as a “great handsome guy.” The fan continued gushing over the movie’s landscapes, noting how they might be biased because they loved their land.

In September 2023, another X user shared a picture of an adult Micheál at the Tribeca Film Festival. Someone else also focused on his skills and looks, commenting below by writing:

“Liam[‘s] Oldest So Is Very Talented And Handsome.”

Following in Liam‘s footsteps wasn’t something Micheál’s father actually wanted for him. In a previous interview when he was still a teenager, the younger star revealed what his famous father asked him to be and his life path.

In 2015, Micheál sat down for an interview when he was 19 and revealed how his father pleaded with him not to take acting as a career. He told how Liam asked him to be a “carpenter or something” instead,” but later recommended him to star alongside him in “Cold Pursuit.”

In his teenage years, he moved to London, and despite choosing acting, a week after his interview, he opened a fashion gallery, the Maison Mais Non, in Soho. He got help from his friends and family to make the gallery a reality.

The items in the store were a collaboration between four Savile Row tailors and the same number of Central Saint Martins graduates. Micheál even opted to be a model for the clothes despite being quite shy.

He explained how he didn’t go after fashion but realized it is important because it showed who you are. Liam’s son said his mother taught him to dress how he felt or how he wanted.

He recalled how she loved dressing up at any given chance and would wear “some pretty crazy stuff.” Micheál is Liam’s first-born son – he has a younger brother, Daniel Neeson – and in 2012, the actor discussed being a father to them, noting how it is an “ongoing joy being a dad.”

The “Retribution” star also admitted that fatherhood came with a “joyful worry” as his sons were then 16 and 17, and it felt like the Tuesday before letting them cross the road on their own was a task and a half. When his oldest arrived, Meryl Streep looked at Micheál sleeping and noted how Liam was not held hostage forever, with him saying:

“That’s absolutely true; no matter what age they are, they’re still going to be your little boy or your little girl. And you are a hostage to love.”

In March 2021, Liam and his oldest son appeared for a virtual interview on “The Graham Norton Show.” The pair shared the story of the adorable moment when Micheál met R2D2 on the set of “Star Wars.”

The duo’s fans were pleased to see them together, with one person noting how Natasha’s son has her “eyes.” The person who watched them on the show’s YouTube channel thought Micheál’s parents were “gorgeous” and that they loved them both.

The star shared how he and his wife had made a pact…

They felt Liam and Natasha were one couple made for each other. Another social media user shared how they could see “so much” of Micheál’s mother in him and honored the late actress, saying she was “beyond talented and so beautiful,” while someone else wrote:

“He looks so much like his beautiful mother!”

Sadly, Liam‘s wife died without seeing her children grow up, and over the years, her husband opened up about letting her go. Many years after her death, he revealed how he was still reeling from her passing.

Micheál was only 13 when his mother hit her head on March 16, 2009, during a skiing vacation in Canada, and died at age 45. The actress’ fall happened at Quebec’s Mont Tremblant resort on a beginner’s slope known as Nansen.

He recalled seeing the damning x-rays and Natasha being on life support, with him having the challenging task of telling her she wouldn’t survive even though he wasn’t sure she could hear him. The actor informed her he would return her to New York so she could be around her family and friends.

Liam shared how he and his wife had made a pact that if either got into a vegetative state, the plug had to be pulled. Micheál’s father also admitted that he mourned his wife’s death and visited her grave regularly.