Liam Neeson and Vanessa Redgrave Share the Screen in ‘Cold Storage’ Amidst Personal Tragedy
A poignant undercurrent runs through the upcoming horror-comedy Cold Storage, starring Liam Neeson and, for the first time, his mother-in-law, acting icon Vanessa Redgrave. The film, slated for release in 2026, arrives as Neeson continues a surprising turn toward comedic roles, following in the footsteps of The Naked Gun, but is shadowed by the enduring grief of losing his wife, Natasha Richardson.
The project marks a significant personal milestone, bringing Neeson and Redgrave together on set for the first time. Redgrave is the mother of Richardson, who tragically died in 2009 following a skiing accident. The loss devastated the close-knit Redgrave-Richardson acting family and those who knew her.
Cold Storage centers on a thrilling premise: a mutant fungus escaping from a government laboratory, with predictably chaotic results. Despite the film’s fantastical plot, the production carries a deeply personal weight for Neeson and Redgrave. Interestingly, the two actors do not share any scenes within the film itself.
“I had absolutely no scenes with Vanessa at all,” Neeson revealed to The Hollywood Reporter. “In fact, the day she started work was the day I actually flew back home from Rome [where it was filmed]. But we were in the same hotel and so we had dinner. Her character and her scenes in the film, she’s probably going to steal the movie. She’s perfect casting for it. It’s a good script and a good story. But, yeah, she’s going to steal the fecking movie.”
Neeson will portray Robert Quinn, a retired bioterror expert, while Redgrave embodies the character of Ma Rooney. The film also features rising stars Joe Keery and Georgina Campbell as Travis and Naomi, respectively. The script, penned by David Koepp – the creative force behind blockbusters like Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, and War of the Worlds – is based on his own novel.
A Mother’s Enduring Grief
The upcoming film arrives as a particularly sensitive moment for Redgrave, one of Britain’s most celebrated actresses, honored as a Dame in 2022. The loss of her daughter, a renowned actress in her own right, resonated deeply with the public. Redgrave rarely discusses her personal life, but earlier this year, she released a heartfelt tribute to Richardson through her daughter, Joely Richardson, on what would have been her 62nd birthday.
In a moving statement, Redgrave recalled the anticipation surrounding her daughter’s birth. “We were in Greece. We sat drinking our coffees in Constitution Square. Tony [her ex-husband Tony Richardson] said if the baby was a boy we should call him Tom. I said if she was a girl I would like her to be called Natasha after Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Our Natasha, as yes she was a girl, came swimming out of my womb ready for anything.”
The statement continued with raw emotion, “I can’t believe that she isn’t swimming somewhere now, in one of the pools or seas we explored. I will never be reconciled to her dying in the snow, and I’m sure that every mother who has lost a child will have that pain always.”
The shared experience of loss undoubtedly adds a layer of complexity to Neeson and Redgrave’s collaboration on Cold Storage. While their characters may not interact on screen, the film represents a quiet acknowledgment of a shared sorrow and a testament to the enduring power of family, even in the face of unimaginable tragedy.
