Tony award-winning actress and member of the
famed British theatrical Redgrave family, Natasha Richardson, has died
after a skiing accident at age 45.
Richardson
suffered a severe head injury from what appeared to be a minor fall
during a beginner's ski lesson Monday at a resort in Canada. She was
flown to a New York City hospital Tuesday, accompanied by her husband,
award-winning Irish-born actor Liam Neeson.
Surrounded by her family and friends from the acting world, she died there Wednesday evening.
The
daughter of the late director Tony Richardson and iconic British
actress Vanessa Redgrave, Natasha Richardson's career highlights
included the title role in the 1988 film "Patty Hearst," and her Tony
award-winning performance 10 years later in the lead role of the stage
revival of "Cabaret."
Richardson
had extensive stage experience in London's West End theater and on
Broadway in New York. Neeson was her second husband. They met in 1993
and appeared together in the 1994 film "Nell." She married him in 1994
and they had two sons, ages 12 and 13.
Richardson
was reported to have not shown any visible signs of injury immediately
after her skiing accident at the famed Mont Tremblant resort near
Montreal. When she later reported not feeling good, she was
transported to a Montreal hospital and later to the New York City
facility when her condition worsened.
Richardson's
maternal grandparents were the actors Michael Redgrave and Rachel
Kempson. Her aunt, Lynn Redgrave, and her sister, Joely, also are
actresses.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
