Liam Neeson sobered up for his sons: “This is not a good example”

Published: October 28, 2024

Liam Neeson sobered up for his sons: “This is not a good example”

By Movieguide® Contributor

TAKEN Actor Liam Neeson is grateful that he gave up alcohol in 2013.

In the new interview of PEOPLE, Neeson said he wishes he’d “done it 20 years ago” but is thankful to be sober now.

“I was never beaten, I never received drunk ever drunk i don’t think. I don’t think my character has changed much. I really liked to drink,” he said.

“But it was just at the stage where (I) would call at 6 o’clock in the evening, open a bottle of wine, and an hour later the bottle was finished, just open another,” Neeson explained.

But as a father of two sons — 29-year-old Mikael and 28-year-old Daniel — he wanted to set a good example for them.

“It was like, ‘Wait a minute.’ I just thought, “This is setting a bad example for my boys, so I’ll just quietly stop.” Not going to announce it. Just stop quietly.” And I did,” Neeson said.

In 2014, he told GQ that he started drinking after his wife died in a tragic skiing accident.

“I drank too much. It started after my wife died. It was so easy simple… Never at work, would never do it like that, but at this time of night?… I’d drink my second bottle (of wine),” he told GQ.

“I’ve never liked hard liquor,” he continued. “And I gave up Guinness years ago because it’s just… old age, it sticks with you, you know? So last year, I just thought, they’re throwing these action movies at me, and I thought, OK, let’s just change it up a little bit. And it was great. I love it.”

Since starting his journey to sobriety, Neeson has turned to fitness and family as an outlet when life gets tough.