Liam Neeson is glad he wasn’t famous as a teenager.
The ‘Non-Stop’ star, who has sons, Michael, 19, and Daniel, 18, with his late wife Natasha Richardson, believes he has managed to avoid battles with drugs and alcohol, unlike many of his peers, because he only found fame when he was in his thirties.
The 61-year-old star told the UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper: "I didn’t come out to Hollywood until I was 35. I wasn’t 16 or 17 and I was never on the booze or into the drug culture. I had a little bit of maturity."
Liam, who grew up in Ballymena in County Antrim, still feels a strong connection to Ireland despite moving to New York City in 1987 and becoming an American citizen.
He said: "There’s an old expression that says you can take the Irishman out of the bog but you can’t take the bog out of the Irishman. I’m very much from that school and although America’s my home and where I’m raising my kids, Ireland is still a spiritual home."
The ‘Taken 2’ star has recently carved out a career as an action hero but admits he would like to return to his theatre roots soon.
He said: "I love being where I am at the moment and I feel very blessed. But I’m very proud of my theatre roots because I think they gave me a physical discipline and the training for repetition. Some directors like to do numerous takes, which I am not a fan of, but if it comes to it I can do it because that’s what you do in the theatre, eight times a week. And I miss it. I would like to get back on stage again.
"But it’s nice to beat up people in movies, mind you. It’s satisfying."
Liam Neeson is glad he wasn’t a famous teen
