Liam Neeson’s Son Micheál Reportedly Changes His Last Name To Honor Late Mother Natasha Richardson

What a touching gesture. Liam Neeson‘s eldest son, Micheál Neeson, has reportedly changed his last name from Neeson to Richardson in order to honor his late mother, Natasha Richardson, who tragically passed away at age 45 after a skiing accident in March 2009.

Micheál, now 23, was just 13 years old when he lost his beloved mother, who was the daughter of famed screen icon Vanessa Redgrave and known for starring in movies including Gothic, The Handmaid’s Tale, Nell, The Parent Trap, Maid in Manhattan, and The White Countess.

Liam and Natasha — who married in 1994 — also had a younger son, Daniel Neeson, now 22, together. According to the Daily Mail, Micheál’s decision to change his surname was purely a way to honor his mother and had nothing to do with distancing himself from his 66-year-old actor father.

“That wasn’t because he wanted to avoid his father’s fame, which is enormous. He wanted to hold his mother close to him — because she was a remarkable actress. Absolutely remarkable,” Micheál’s grandmother Vanessa told the celebrity news outlet.

During a past interview, Micheál — who is a student at Tulane University in New Orleans — revealed he “hit rock bottom” after losing his mother. “In my mind, subconsciously, I either pushed it out or stored it deep inside. And so, within the next week I was like, ‘Okay, on with my life,'” he told the Sunday Times. “Things just started going downhill. The people I was with, we were partying a lot. It was dark. I hit rock bottom. Everybody said, ‘This kid has lost his mum, that’s where the problem comes from.’ And I was like, ‘No, it isn’t, I just like to party.’ But looking back I realize it was a delayed reaction.”