Helen Mirren says ex-husband Liam Neeson is a ‘fantastic guy’

Helen Mirren has spoken fondly of her relationship with ex-boyfriend Liam Neeson as she explained that they ‘loved each other very, very much’.

The 77-year-old actress was in a relationship with the actor, 70, for five years between 1980 and 1985 and even lived together for four years.

Speaking in a new interview about their past, Helen told the outlet, “We weren’t meant to be together that way, but we loved each other very, very much.” I love him dearly to this day. He’s an amazing guy.

Helen spoke exclusively to New AARP Magazine talks about some of her past loves and how they “all had to put a shirt on by me.”

“I made one for Liam, oddly enough,” she told the publication.

Other men who own Helen’s homemade shirts include actor Peter O’Toole and her husband, Taylor Hackford, whom she’s been married to for 25 years.

Helen called the T-shirts “too bad” and laughed when he suggested she have her own fashion line of T-shirts.

The screen star isn’t shy about gushing about her ex-husband and previously couldn’t resist fondly recalling a time she went camping with the actor, during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2019.

When asked by guest presenter Sean Hayes about her love of the outdoors, the British star gushed about “liking” camping with Liam and relaying the story that they had to share a “small tent for the day” during a rainy adventure.

‘I once went camping with Liam Neeson,’ Helen elaborated, ’cause we used to date. We lived together for four years! (He was) before Liam was the huge movie star he is today.

The star, Catherine, tells the story to the excited audience: “We went camping in this tiny tent, about the size of this table, and we drove there in this little car.”

Looks like 6ft 4in Liam, his head was just touching the top, and he was driving that way (making a flabby body figure). We camped in this little tent. It rained all day, every day. We were camping in Cornwall, and then we went camping in France.

“I love camping,” Helen repeated, before cheekily adding: “Well, I love camping with Liam Neesom anyway, and my husband (Taylor Hackford).

Helen and Liam have spoken of their fondness for each other on various occasions over the years.

In January 2018, the Hollywood heavyweights revealed that they had been head over heels during their four-year romance, and the Taken star even admitted that it was love at first sight during their appearance on The Graham Norton Show.

When the cheeky chat show host asked her about their dating days, Helen was quick to insist that their romance, which flared up between 1980 and 1985, was more serious than a casual flirtation.

She confirmed, “We weren’t dating, we lived together for four years — we were a serious item for a while.” Lucky me!’

Liam was quick to reciprocate Helen’s feelings as he admitted he was instantly “smitten” with the actress when they met on the set of the 1981 film Excalibur.

Revealing his instant brilliance, the Schindler’s List star revealed, “Before I met her and we worked together, I read somewhere that if I fantasized about a guy, she’d mimic his walk behind his back and I turned around one day and she’d do it.” This is for me.

He added, “I remember being on set and standing with Ciaran Hinds as Helen walked up to us in full Morgana Le Fey costume and we both went, ‘Oh f**k’ and I was smitten.

But perhaps the most flattering comment came when Liam admitted that he had to overcome his fair share of rivals to win Helen’s heart.

The Irish star revealed, “I think Ciaran was also very smitten!” prompting a blushing Helen to reply: “I didn’t know that before. You never told me that—it’s amazing.”

Eight years into his relationship with Helen, Liam met his first wife, Natasha Richardson, who tragically passed away after a freak skiing accident in 2009.

The couple welcomed two children, Michel, 22, and Daniel, 21, during their 15-year marriage.

While Helen has been married to director Taylor Hackford, 74, since 1997.