Natasha Richardson Is the Reason Liam Neeson Never Played James Bond

If you are disappointed that you never saw Liam Neeson play James Bond, the late Natasha Richardson is to blame. In a recent interview, Neeson discussed his interest in portraying the famed spy and explained why it never happened. Neeson never played Bond, but he did get the girl of his dreams.

Liam Neeson was approached about playing James Bond

Liam Neeson was interested in playing James Bond once upon a time. He was even approached about playing the role. In a recent Rolling Stone interview, Neeson revealed that he was approached about playing James Bond shortly after Schindler’s List premiered.

Aston Martin db10 | Dave M. Benett/WireImage

He said he initially expressed an interest in playing the role, but it didn’t materialize for several reasons. While Neeson revealed Richardson had strong opinions about the part, it wasn’t really offered to him at any point. Neeson explained that several actors were considered for the job. Pierce Brosnan eventually won the role, taking over for Timothy Dalton, who played Bond from 1987 until 1989. Brosnan went on to portray Bond from 1995 until 2002. In 2006, Daniel Craig became the famous secret agent.

Natasha Richardson issued a ‘Bond ultimatum,’ said Neeson

Neeson told Rolling Stone that he didn’t portray James Bond partially because Natasha Richardson told him he couldn’t. He recalled discussing being approached about becoming James Bond with his late wife before they were married. He said Richardson issued a “Bond ultimatum.”

Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

He recalled Richardson telling him that if he took on the role of James Bond, they wouldn’t get married. The 70-year-old actor said Richardson really meant what she said but that it had become something of a running joke in their household.

Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson were married for 15 years after the ‘Bond ultimatum’

While Neeson never got the chance to play James Bond, he got great love from the missed opportunity. Neeson and Richardson were married in 1994. Together, they had two sons and made a home for their family in a small town in New York’s Hudson Valley.

They were still happily married when Richardson died in a skiing accident. The famed actor fell during a skiing lesson and initially thought she was OK. Later that same day, she was flown to a New York hospital for treatment after developing a headache. She died on March 18, 2009, from a head injury.

Neeson has spoken regularly about his wife and the anguish of her sudden passing. According to Us Weekly, Neeson said he spent years expecting her to come back through the door before the reality of the situation hit him in waves, over and over again.