Acclaimed Irish actor Liam Neeson was born June 7, 1952, in Northern Ireland. Before he joined the Belfast Lyric Players' Theater in 1976, Neeson had worked as a truck driver, forklift operator, assistant architect and amateur boxer, and was studying to be a teacher. In 1978 he made his acting debut and moved to Dublin's Abbey Theater, where he was spotted by director John Boorman and cast in the 1981 film "Excalibur." His performance as Gawain launched his screen acting career, paving the way for future roles in "Schindler's List," "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" and the 2012 thriller "The Grey."