Liam Neeson was immediately drawn to Helen Mirren after just one glance.

It’s not often that people talk about Irish actor Liam Neeson other than his intensity-filled performances in action films of his career over the years. And to be honest, there isn’t that much that he likes to talk about either. But what many may remember about him back in the 80s was how the star dated British actress Helen Mirren.

While it may not be a very well-known fact today, considering that it is a thing of the past, it’s still fascinating to learn about this information. But when it comes to the details, not much is known about how they went on to become a couple. Neeson later revealed that when he first laid eyes on Mirren on the sets of Excalibur, he was taken aback by her beauty, and the only word he could utter was “F*ck”

Liam Neeson Could Utter Only A Single Word After Looking At Helen Mirren For The First Time

Before the actor became the star known for creating some very iconic action films in the industry, Liam Neeson was actually known for his performances in the drama genre of movies. Thus, going back to the first major film of his career, titled Excalibur, we can see how the star grew in this genre before switching to action and thriller.

This was also the film where the star first met his now ex-girlfriend Helen Mirren, and was completely mesmerized by her.

In a past episode of The Graham Norton Show, the host attended to both Mirren and Neeson, where he asked for information about their relationship. The Taken star very smoothly confirmed this intel and went ahead to dive into details about it. He said that the first time he saw the Fast X actress was during their 1981 film. 

He remembered himself along with his friend and co-star Ciarán Hinds getting the chance to meet Mirren before they started filming. When she finally appeared in front of them, both stars were frozen by just how beautiful she looked. He said:

“Helen had a break, she was filming, but she was in costume, and we were there just visiting, we hadn’t started work yet. The first idea of the second lady said that ‘Would you like to meet Helen Mirren?’ and we said yeah. So, she walked from, like, a hundred yards away dressed as Morgana la Fey. And Cairán’s my oldest friend, and we both went ‘F*ck’ So I was smitten.”

Later, the stars would go on to date each other for almost four years from 1981 to 1985 before breaking up with each other.

What Was Excalibur About?

The early ’80s marked the era that would give rise to some exceptional stars like Mirren and Neeson, and Excalibur would be their first major film to bring them to the spotlight.

Retelling the story of the Knights of The Round Table and the birth of Great Britain, the film tells the tale of Arthur Pendragon, the bastard son of the previous emperor Urther Pendragon, who pulls the mystical sword Excalibur from the stone. Now, accompanied by the wizard Merlin, the new emperor must overcome many trials and tribulations to unify his country.