Liam Neeson and Family Mourn the Loss of Natasha Richardson at Broadway Tribute

Minutes before the lights of Broadway were dimmed on March 19 in honor of Tony Award winner Natasha Richardson, who died on March 18, theatergoers and well-wishers were touched, and caught by surprise, to see some familiar faces among the crowd gathered at Shubert Alley—those of Liam Neeson, Richardson's husband, as well as members of her real and theatrical families.

Neeson, who met and fell in love with Richardson while debuting on Broadway together in the Roundabout Theatre Company production of Anna Christie, was joined by Richardson’s sister, Joely, and her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, as they stood outside the Booth Theatre to see the Broadway community dim its marquees for one minute, a traditional honor saved for stage greats.

Seen comforting Neeson with hugs and condolences were friends Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker; Ralph Fiennes, Richardson’s co-star in the movies Maid in Manhattan and The White Countess, and Neeson’s friend since the two co-starred in Schindler’s List; John Benjamin Hickey and Laura Linney, who starred with Neeson in the 2002 Broadway revival of The Crucible and Ron Rifkin, who performed with Richardson in the 1998 revival of Cabaret, the show that earned her a Tony Award.

At 8pm, the lights of the theater district began to dim, theater by theater, as mourners, onlookers and passersby began to respectfully applaud, at times even shouting Richardson’s name. Neeson shielded his eyes with his cap, and ducked into a waiting car with his family as the lights returned.

Neeson and Richardson’s two sons are believed to have stayed in the family’s home upstate. A private funeral will follow.