What Happened To Natasha Richardson? Inside The Tragic Death Of Liam Neeson's Wife
Born in 1963 in London to actress Vanessa Redgrave and producer-director Tony Richardson, Natasha Richardson might be called a "nepo baby" today, but she proved herself as a performer throughout her career despite her parents' success. Then, in 2009, Richardson suddenly passed away at the age of 45, survived by her husband (actor Liam Neeson), her children, and her mother.
It's a pretty harrowing story, to be frank. In March of 2009, Richardson, Neeson, and their children Micheál and Daniel were enjoying a family vacation at the Mont Tremblant Ski Resort in Quebec when Richardson fell during a ski lesson for beginners. Though Richardson appeared fine at first, she then complained of a bad headache and was ultimately airlifted to New York's Lenox Hill Hospital. Even though her fall didn't seem serious at first, it turned out that Richardson had an epidural hematoma, a condition that can be caused by a fall or head trauma that results in bleeding between the brain and the outer membrane that protects it. Richardson died at the hospital on March 18, 2009. In her obituary in The New York Times, a statement from her family read, "Liam Neeson, his sons, and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha. They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."
Liam Neeson later revealed that he made a promise to Natasha Richardson before her accident
Understandably, Liam Neeson was gutted at the sudden loss of his wife Natasha Richardson, and he's only spoken about it a handful of times — most notably during an interview with Anderson Cooper (when the anchor was with CBS News) in 2014. Neeson told Cooper that he was able to deliver some last words to his beloved partner, even though she was unconscious at the time.
"And I went in to her and told her I loved her," Neeson recalled. "Said, 'Sweetie, you're not coming back from this. You've banged your head. It's — I don't know if you can hear me, but that's — this is what's gone down. And we're bringing you back to New York. All your family and friends will come.' And that was more or less it. You know?"
Neeson then told Cooper that he and Richardson made a pact years before her accident that if either one of them suffered brain death, the survivor would elect to end care and let the injured one go. The "Taken" actor even said that when he saw all of the machines surrounding Richardson in the hospital, he knew that it was the end. Neeson was proud to tell Cooper, though, that Richardson's heart, kidneys, and liver were donated to patients in need, fondly saying, "So she's keeping three people alive at the moment."
Asked how Richardson would feel about Neeson's second act as a major action star — and the financial success that came along with that — he simply said, "She'd be very — she'd be very — chuffed at that. She would — yeah, she would."
Natasha Richardson was an icon both onscreen and on the stage
It's a terrible loss for Liam Neeson, the couple's children, and the world at large that Natasha Richardson passed away so suddenly — and there's no question that had she survived her fall, she would have experienced a lengthy and fruitful career. The actress kicked off her career on stage in London, playing roles in shows like Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull." She met Neeson when they both worked on the play "Anna Christie" on Broadway in 1993, and five years later, she starred in the classic musical "Cabaret" as Sally Bowles, winning a Tony for her performance.
On-screen, Richardson appeared in projects like "The Handmaid's Tale" (the 1990 film, not the acclaimed Hulu series) and as the antagonist in "Maid in Manhattan," but audiences likely know her best for her sweet, perfect performance in Nancy Meyers' 1998 remake of "The Parent Trap." Alongside Lindsay Lohan as twins Annie and Hallie, Richardson played their glamorous yet neurotic mother Elizabeth James, who lives in a stunning London townhouse and designs wedding dresses. When Annie and Hallie try to reunite Elizabeth with their father Nick Parker (Dennis Quaid), Richardson's comedic talents finally get to shine. The scene where she's frantically chain-smoking and rifling through her well-stocked closet because she's terrified to see Nick again — followed by her playing drunk upon her arrival in California — is genuinely funny, and Richardson shines every second that she's on screen. Losing Richardson was terrible for so many different reasons, and the loss of all her future performances is just one of them.