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Dame Helen Mirren confessed her abiding love for ex-boyfriend Liam Neeson, sharing that they "were not meant to be together in that way, but we loved each other very, very much" in an exclusive interview with AARP Magazine on Tuesday, November 22, 2022.
The 77-year-old was in a five-year relationship with the actor, 70, between 1980 and 1985, and even spent four years living together.
She added:
"I love him deeply to this day. He's such an amazing guy."
The Hollywood icons first met during the filming of John Boorman's Excalibur, which was released in 1981. Although they were rumored to be dating at the time, they did not confirm their relationship until much later.
Helen Mirren gifted a handmade shirt to Liam Neeson
In 2014, the Taken star shared in an interview with Anderson Cooper that "it doesn't get any better than that" referring to falling in love with Helen Mirren on the set of Excalibur. Neeson said:
Can you imagine riding horses in shiny suits of armor, having sword fights and stuff, and you’re falling in love with Helen Mirren? It doesn’t get any better than that.
In 2018, the two legends made a rare public appearance together on The Graham Norton Show, where Helen Mirren revealed that the two didn't just date but lived together and were a "serious item."
Liam Neeson went on to say that he was instantly smitten with the Oscar-winning actress when he first saw her on the set of their first film together. The film, Excalibur, featured Helen Mirren as Morgana le Fay and Liam Neeson as Sir Gawain.
The two appeared to be on amicable terms, with Neeson's confession leaving a blushing Mirren to comment that "it's amazing" and that The Schindler's List star had never told her that before.
In an interview with AARP, The Queen actress admitted that one of her peculiarities was making men's shirts for her lovers and how Neeson was also an owner of one such shirt.
Helen Mirren has also not been hesitant to display her fondness for her old flame. In an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2019, she shared a story of camping inside a tiny tent in Cornwall, while traveling in a tiny car with the six-foot-tall actor. She added:
I like camping. Well, I like camping with Liam Neesom anyways, and my husband (Taylor Hackford).
Mirren spoke to The New York Times Magazine about their split in 1994, disclosing that it was due to Neeson needing to step out of her spotlight. She said:
I was well known; I had the money … [and I] had a sense from Liam that it was time for him to come out from under my wing.
Liam Neeson admitted in a 2012 episode of Inside the Actor's Studio that Helen Mirren was instrumental in shaping his career and even got him an agent.
The Cal actress said that their split was handled with great elegance and grace by Neeson, although "it was difficult to let go" because they loved each other.
In 1993, eight years after his relationship with Mirren ended, Neeson met his first wife, Natasha Richardson, who passed away in a tragic skiing accident in 2009. During their 15-year marriage, the couple welcomed two children, Micheál, 22, and Daniel, 21. Neeson has not been married since.
Helen Mirren met Taylor Hackford in 1985 and has been married to the 74-year-old director since 1997. The actress is set to next appear in the Yellowstone prequel 1923, set to premiere on December 18, 2022.
