Liam Neeson and girlfriend Freya St Johnston have split after two years

Freya St Johnston and Liam Neeson

Irish actor Liam Neeson has reportedly split up with his girlfriend of two years, British businesswoman Freya St Johnston.

RTE reports that Neeson and St Johnston first began seeing each other a year after Neeson’s beloved wife Natasha Richardson passed away after a tragic skiing accident.

A source said that "Liam is heading back to America at the start of next month to work on his new film Non-Stop. He told Freya that he wants to take a break and concentrate on his family."

Neeson, who is now 60 years old, has two sons with his late wife Richardson. Earlier this month, Neeson told a German magazine that "I do miss my wife every day, more than anything.”

The Antrim native has recently been enjoying the major successes of ‘Taken 2’ at the box-office, the follow up to the 2009 surprise hit.

‘Taken 2’ star Liam Neeson says he misses his wife Natasha Richardson ‘every day’

Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson

Despite finding renewed success with his recently released sequel ‘Taken 2,’ Liam Neeson says that he still misses his late wife, British actress Natasha Richardson.

"I do miss my wife every day, more than anything," Neeson told German magazine In.

Richardson passed away after a tragic ski accident led to a severe head injury in 2009. Since his wife’s tragic passing, Neeson has been left to care for his two children Michael and Daniel alone.

"I wouldn't say that I'm a strict father," the Antrim native said.

"I'd say I am a fair, conservative father. I put emphasis on traditional values in their upbringing. I want my sons to become loyal, honest and faithful human beings."

Neeson has said in the past that his sons are huge fans of his original ‘Taken’ film, even asking their father to record famous lines from the movie as their voicemail messages!

‘Taken 2’ has found massive success in the US box office during its opening weekend when it scooped up $50 million, proving that Neeson is still a force to be reckoned with.

Liam Neeson’s ‘Taken 2’ opens with big weekend - VIDEO

Liam Neeson in 'Taken 2'

Neeson’s done it again! ‘Taken 2,’ the sequel to his 2008 thriller, is expected to top this weekend’s box office after a strong opening on Friday.

The Hollywood Reporter speculates about Neeson’s latest flick and its bid for box office champion this weekend.

On Friday, the film’s opening day in the US, ‘Taken 2’ took in an estimated $17.3 million, nearly securing its place as top spot for the weekend. THR is projecting that the film could take in a very strong $45 million by the weekend’s close.

Read More: Exclusive interview with ‘Taken 2’ star Liam Neeson - Being a badass at 60 is simple - VIDEO

The original 2008 ‘Taken’ is described as a sleeper box-office hit by THR, one that helped to reignite Neeson’s film career by bringing in a global $226.8 million, with $24.7 million earned on its opening weekend  in early January 2009.

Its main competition for the weekend is ‘Pitch Perfect,’ ‘Frankenweenie,’ and ‘Hotel Transylvania,’ which are being projected to bring in somewhere under $20 million apiece for the weekend.

In ‘Taken 2,’ Neeson teams up again with Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen. This time, the story is set in Istanbul where Neeson’s ex-wife is kidnapped while his daughter goes on the run.

Did Liam Neeson have a love fling in NYC? -- "Taken" star spotted entertaining two women on either side of the Atlantic

Liam Neeson photographed on the redcarpet (Photo: Listal)

Is Liam Neeson entertaining two girlfriends on either side of the Atlantic? Sources point to yes, that he has been seeing 28 year old Katy Schell in New York, while still dating London-based girlfriend, Freya St. Johnston.

The New York Post writes that Neeson first met Schell in March of this year at the premiere of his film ‘Wrath of the Titans.’

“He’d seen her on the red carpet and thought she was beautiful,” says a source, “and he asked to meet her.”

“She met his family,” a source says. “She would stay at his apartment and met Vanessa Redgrave [the mother of Neeson’s late wife, Natasha Richardson] when she came over.”

Reportedly, Neeson introduced Schell to his son on two occasions in New York as well.

However, the same month that Neeson met Schell and reportedly asked her out, he was seen back in London with St. Johnson, and then on vacation with her in St. Tropez.

Now, reps for Neeson are saying that the ‘Schindler’s List’ actor has “never heard of Schell.”

He and Schell reportedly broke it off, with Neeson saying to Schell that he was “‘back with an old friend from London,’ who was staying with him all summer at his house in Millbrook,” a source told Page Six.

“The funny part is that he invited Katy [to his country home] numerous times over the summer, but she never made the trip.”

A source close to Schell said, “Liam was really sweet and respectful about the breakup. Overall, Katy has nothing but nice things to say about him.”

However, an actor close to Neeson said, “They never dated. Maybe they hung out once or twice, but that’s it.”

Liam Neeson turned on the charm while using the women’s bathroom at his 60th birthday

Liam Neeson

On celebrating his 60th birthday party at the Waverly Inn last week, Liam Neeson decided to use the women’s bathroom, as the line for the line for the men’s was too long he claimed. Something that very seldom happens. According to the New York Post:

"His visit gave some female diners a very pleasant surprise. “You’ll never guess who’s in the ladies room”, a woman standing on line excitedly whispered to another, sharing that it was indeed Neeson.

When he finally emerged, he was as pleasant as ever, apologizing to the line of women waiting: “I’m so sorry. Please excuse me.” He even held the door open for the first lady to walk in, witnesses said. “You can use my bathroom anytime”, one guest was overheard telling the tall, handsome actor."

Neeson went on to continue his birthday dinner at the posh spot with 40 guests.

If it was any other man who had jumped a line of desperate to pee ladies, he would have got a handbag or a heel in the you know what.

Liam Neeson stuns locals by working a shift at his sister’s Irish laundry company

Liam Neeson

The 59-year-old ‘Battleship’ star spent more than two hours ironing shirts for customers to help launch his sister Elizabeth’s new venture in Northern Ireland.

A source told The Sun newspaper: “Everyone did a double take when they they saw Liam ironing.
“No one expected to see a huge star like him doing the laundry.”

Meanwhile, the Catholic-raised actor – whose wife Natasha Richardson died in a skiing accident in 2009 - is considering becoming a Muslim after falling in love with the religion and its rituals during a trip to Istanbul in Turkey.

He explained: “The Call to Prayer happens five times a day and for the first week it drives you crazy, and then it just gets into your spirit and it’s the most beautiful, beautiful thing.

“There are 4,000 mosques in the city. Some are just stunning and it really makes me think about becoming a Muslim.

“I was reared a Catholic but I think every day we ask ourselves, not consciously, what are we doing on this planet? What’s it all about?

“I’m constantly reading books on God or the absence of God and atheism.”

Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes had a "godly bromance" on new movie 'Wrath of the Titans'

Liam and Ralph play king of the gods Zeus and Hades, god of the underworld, respectively, in the mythical blockbuster. The pair became good friends on set and had a hard time being serious in their scenes.

In a joint interview on British morning TV show 'Daybreak,' Ralph said: "It's a romance, a Godly bromance. We go in very serious - like we're going to do this - and then we catch each other's eyes."

Liam added: "All these fake beards and long hair and costumes and stuff - you have to have a giggle."
_______________
READ MORE:

Dakota Fanning will never join Twitter

Lindsay Lohan has realized her personal problems were making her career "fall apart"
______________

The two actors also spent their time on set imaging who would win in a fight between two of their most famous characters - Ralph's Lord Voldemort from the 'Harry Potter' films and Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn, who Liam played in 'Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.'

Ralph said: "He (Lord Voldemort) wouldn't stand a chance. The thing is, if Voldemort has wand power - you're finished. But once I get in a reach of these huge arms, then I'm done for."

Rihanna admits to having a huge crush her “Battleship” co-star Liam Neeson - VIDEO

Says meeting “Schinder’s List” and “Rob Roy” star was “one of the highlights of my life”

“We Found Love” singer Rihanna has admitted that she’s sick of being single and has a huge crush on Irish actor Liam Neeson. The 24-year-old singer who co-starred with Neeson on in the action movie “Battleship” said she was star-struck when she learned he was on set.

She sold the Sun “The first day Liam was on set, I was crazy nervous because I've loved him for years.

"He was amazing in “Schindler's List” and so sexy in “Rob Roy”, I've always had a crush on him.

"He's so tall and manly — what woman doesn't have a crush on Liam Neeson?

"So I was basically hiding out in my trailer, asking for more make-up to be done, just stalling as much as I could. Like, I wanted to meet him but I was so scared.

"We're finally introduced and I'm completely speechless — I don't even know what I said, if it was English — and I'm looking down at my shoes."

The singer was totally blown away when Neeson asked if he could have his photo taken with her.

She said “I still hadn't said anything and he says, 'Rihanna, would you mind if I got a photo with you? My sons will kill me if I don't because they're such big fans.'

"And I'm like, 'Eh, well only if I can get a photo with you.' And, no joke, when he left, I was like jumping around with my friend, we were like two little schoolgirls.

"Honestly, it's one of the highlights of my life.

"But then I had to act with him in a scene and be real bad-ass and disrespectful. Now I should get an Oscar for that."

Rihanna said that despite breaking the ice she found it very difficult to act in their first scene together.
She continued “God, it was awful. I thought the director would fire me after it but Liam was so calming and lovely.

"He was cracking jokes and pulling faces and that just really relaxed me into it.

"After that, everything went pretty smoothly and I don't know if I could have done it without him. He's such a great guy."

The role on “Battleship” also afforded her the opportunity to cover up and wear an outfit that wasn’t revealing. She said “I wear the same outfit throughout the entire movie, and I'm literally covered from head to toe in this army outfit.

"I've never been so comfortable in my life. I would definitely consider wearing this on my next tour, I think it's hot.”

Regardless of her sartorial decisions she believes that working on the action sci-fi move has made her more capable of looking after herself. She said “I learned all these combat fighting moves, and how to take down a guy twice my size.

"Seriously, I am a bad ass. Nobody will ever mess with me.”

The movie, “Battleship”, directed by Peter Berg is based on the Hasbro board game of the same name. It follows the story of a fleet of ships forced to do battle with an armada of unknown origins in order to discover and thwart their destructive goals.

The movie’s set to be released in the US on 18th May 2012.

Here’s the trailer: 

Liam Neeson set to play President Lyndon Johnson in new movie .....Oprah, John Cusack also expected to star

Liam Neeson is expected to play President Lyndon Baines Johnson in a new movie based on the experience of a black butler in the White House.

Director Lee Daniels is casting his film 'The Butler,' the story of Eugene Allen, a servant who served through eight White House presidents including LBJ. according to FirstShowing.net.

Daniels, who is African American, directed Academy Awards winning movie 'Monsters Ball' and also last year's hit 'Precious.'

Allen survived to cast a vote for Barack Obama and saw him elected president.

Allen began working in the White House in 1952 under President Truman and remained there until Ronald Reagan.
_____________
READ MORE:

Martin Sheen visits his friend President Michael D Higgins in the Aras – VIDEO

Irish Arts Center in New York City gears up for St. Patrick’s Day
___________

In addition to Neeson as LBJ, John Cusack, Mila Kunis and Oprah Winfrey are also being pursued for major roles.

Winfrey will be sought for the role of Allen's wife.

Cusack is down to play Richard Nixon while David Oyelowo is seen as the most likely actor to play Allen.

The LBJ era is heavily featured as it was the time when the civil rights legislation came into law and its dramatic effect on blacks, including the working in the White House became clear.

Ironically, Neeson had been considered for the role of Abraham Lincoln in a new Steven Spielberg film but that role has since been taken by Daniel Day Lewis, a fellow Irish citizen.

Neeson had also wanted to work with Daniels on a previous film where he would have also played LBJ. He was wanted for the role in Daniels' now dead project 'Selma,' so this just makes sense. Hopefully we'll hear official word on casting for 'The Butler' sooner than later.

Liam Neeson says he wont play head of WWE Vince McMahon

Liam Neeson and Vince McMahon

Liam Neeson, starring this week in the new film The Grey, is plenty busy these days with a number of projects on deck – but portraying Vince McMahon, head of the WWE, isn’t one of them.

During a press junket to promote The Grey, Neeson denied a rumor that he was preparing to play wrestling impresario McMahon in a new film about Chris Benoit, the former WWE champ who killed his wife and young son and then took his own life back in 2007. The shocking murder-suicide made international headlines for days, and cast a harsh light on McMahon’s WWE and steroid abuse among pro wrestlers.

Neeson told reporters that he had never heard of the Benoit movie, that he knows very little about McMahon and that he’s not a pro wrestling fan, so therefore he wouldn’t take the role on.  “I can’t see you doing that, dude,” added The Grey director Joe Carnahan, for extra emphasis.  So that’s that, then.

Neeson will be all over movie screens this year with a number of starring roles.

In March look for him in Wrath of the Titans, a sequel to Clash of the Titans; the following month he stars with superstar singer Rihanna in Battleship, and come October he’ll be seen in the sequel to Taken, the biggest hit of his career which earned more than $200 million in worldwide box office receipts in 2008.
----------------
Read more: 
More celebrity gossip from IrishCentral

FOX TV anchor Greg Kelly strongly denies rape accusation charge by woman he met

Liam Neeson has the full right to embrace Islam if he wants -- His wife's death has led to a search for life's meaning
----------------
Neeson told the press that he’s delighted to still be considered an action star as he nears his 60th birthday in June.

“They’re offering me stuff, which is unbelievably flattering,” he says.

“Seriously, since this silly Taken movie came out, they’re throwing these thriller, assassin movies at me. Some are good, some aren’t so good. It’s terrific, I love it. As long as my knees don’t give out, I love it.

“I’ll give them another 18 months, then that’ll be it, you know? Otherwise it gets silly.”

Speaking of the big 6-0, Neeson says he’s in no mood to celebrate the landmark.

“My sons were saying the other day, ‘Dad, we’re going to throw you a big party for your birthday.’  I said, ‘No, we’re not!’” he said. 

“I really hate it.  I’m not going to celebrate it. What am I going to do? Go to a strip club or something like that?  I can’t do it.”