The Real-Life Partners Of The Ice Road
If you're into movies filled with action and adventure, then "The Ice Road" is for you. The film was released on Netflix in June 2021, and according to the streaming service's description, follows "a down-on-his-luck ice road trucker" who has to travel across dangerous terrain to deliver the special hardware needed to rescue miners who are trapped underground. Since its release, the feature has been a hit for Netflix, and at one point even held their top spot for most watched movie in July 2021 (per PureWow).
Leading the charge on the film is legendary action star Liam Neeson, who is no stranger to rescue missions having starred in the "Taken" trilogy. Neeson is joined by another veteran actor, "Matrix" star Laurence Fishburne, both seemingly proving that age doesn't matter when it comes to saving the day. Other recognizable actors like Benjamin Walker, Amber Midthunder, Holt McCallany, Martin Sensmeier, Matt Salinger, Matt McCoy and Marcus Thomas round out the cast. They all apparently spent time shooting in various, and presumably cold locations in Canada.
When the actors aren't shooting action movies on ice roads, most of them have pretty interesting personal lives, especially when it comes to who they've been romantically involved with. Sure, this isn't a romantic movie by any means but with the popularity of the film, it's safe to say fans are interested in learning more about the movie's stars. So let's get to know the real life partners of "The Ice Road."
Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson were very in love
It's safe to say that Liam Neeson and his late wife, actor Natasha Richardson, had the kind of love story usually only seen in movies. The two met while starring in the Broadway play "Anna Christie" in 1993. Neeson recollected to "60 Minutes", "I'd never had that kind of an explosive chemistry situation with an actor." At the time, Richardson was married to producer Robert Fox, and Neeson had a ladies man reputation. Richardson recalled to the Daily News, "What happened between us, and that becoming public knowledge in conjunction with my marriage falling apart, was kind of bad timing... Obviously I fell very much in love with him."
The two had a whirlwind romance and were married that next year. In 2016, Neeson gushed on SiriusXM's "My Favorite Song" about how his bride surprised him with a special rendition of their wedding song, Van Morrison's "Crazy Love," at the reception: "Behind my back, Natasha had been taking singing lessons to sing it to me." The couple went on to welcome two children. In the aforementioned "60 Minutes" interview, the "Taken" actor said Richardson "cared for everybody. She has a motherly instinct. And she'd make dinners for everyone and just looked after us all."
Richardson died in 2009 after suffering a traumatic brain injury following a skiing accident. Neeson rushed to be by her side at the end. "I told her I loved her," he shared with "60 Minutes." "Said, 'Sweetie, you're not coming back from this.'"
Liam Neeson has an on-again off-again girlfriend
Liam Neeson has struggled with the loss of his late wife, "The Parent Trap" star Natasha Richardson. The actor told "60 Minutes" in 2014, "Anytime I hear that door opening I still think I'm gonna hear her, you know. And, then, it's grief's like... it hits you. It's like a wave." An unnamed friend told OK! in 2021 that Neeson has had trouble moving on considering that "he seems lost in thoughts of the past" and "knows he'll never find another woman like Natasha."
However, Neeson supposedly has been in an on-again off-again relationship with public relations executive Freya St. Johnston since 2010. While not much is known about St. Johnston, her ex told People, "She's a wonderful person and a fantastic mother," adding, "She takes life seriously in a free-spirited kind of way." According to Distractify, the two split in 2012 before reportedly reuniting in 2016. That year though, Neeson stirred up the rumor mill by joking to the Irish Independent that he was dating a fellow celebrity, quipping, "I'd embarrass her if I said her name, she's incredibly famous."
Yet, since then, Neeson and St. Johnston have been seen out together, with their last public appearance being at the 2019 premiere of "The White Crow" (per Daily Mail). While it's unclear if they're still a couple, it's been nice to see Neeson happy with someone again.
Laurence Fishburne was first married in the '80s
Laurence Fishburne may be a pretty big movie star but when it comes to his first marriage, there isn't much known besides that his wife was actor and casting director Hajna O. Moss. According to Yahoo! Movies, Moss was just a college student at NYU when she married the "Apocalypse Now" actor in 1985 after getting introduced by director Spike Lee. The two went on to have son Langston Fishburne in 1987, then daughter Montana Fishburne in 1991. Laurence and Moss later split up with their divorce being reportedly finalized in 1993.
When Montana's first adult film was released in 2010, she told E! News at the time that her dad was "upset" and determined to avoid the topic entirely, but noted that their relationship would be okay. Her mom, on the other hand, was a little more open to the career move: "She just wanted to make sure I thought about the decision before I made it." Contrary to what some reports indicated, Laurence and Montana didn't stop talking. In 2018, she posted a photo they took together, writing, "My father gave me the greatest gift...HE BELIEVED/S IN ME."
Laurence went on to date actor Victoria Dillard from 1992 to 1995. They apparently met while starring in the 1992 movie "Deep Cover." Besides Dillard confirming to the Orlando Sentinel that they were dating but not married in 1994, and then Laurence telling The Morning Call they split in 1995, the two very much flew under the radar.
Laurence Fishburne got married then divorced twice
Despite his first marriage not lasting, actor Laurence Fishburne gave matrimony another go when he married actor Gina Torres in 2002. The two starred together in the 2003 film "The Matrix Reloaded" and again in the TV series "Hannibal" in 2013. The couple welcomed daughter Delilah Fishburne in 2007 and for a while it seemed like the "What's Love Got to Do With It" actor had finally found the one.
However, things took a turn in 2017 when the couple announced they were divorcing after 14 years of marriage. At the time, Torres told Us Weekly, "Laurence and I quietly separated and began the dissolution of our marriage in the early fall of last year." She added, "There are no bad guys here. Only a love story with a different ending than either one of us had expected." Torres had hinted at problems in 2016, telling The New York Times that she left the TV series "Suits" because her "personal life needed to be tended to." According to ET, it was Fishburne who officially filed for divorce though, citing irreconcilable differences.
Fishburne apparently moved on with a non-celebrity in 2018. According to Radar, his girlfriend, Bronwyn Anne Moylan, left her husband to be with Fishburne. The two had supposedly reconnected after meeting in an acting class years before. While Fishburne hasn't commented on the romance, they were last photographed leaving celebrity hot spot Nobu in 2020.
Benjamin Walker married a co-star
Benjamin Walker is obviously a well-known actor in his own right, but the "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" star was briefly married into one of Hollywood's most famous families. Walker's first wife was Mamie Gummer, daughter of Oscar winner Meryl Streep. They met while working together in a Broadway production of "Dangerous Liaisons" in 2008, but the sparks did not fly immediately. Gummer told People at the time, "He was the Keanu to my Uma. We were kind of pals first. It was a drawn-out thing." Yet she did admit that it was easy to fall for him saying, "We'll, look how tall he is. He's very nice. He puts up with me. And he's very patient."
Walker proposed to Gummer in 2009 after a year and half of dating, and by 2011 the two tied the knot. According to Us Weekly, the wedding was held at Gummer's family estate in Connecticut and was attended by fellow actors like Claire Danes and Laura Linney.
However, their romance didn't last long and the two called it quits in March 2013 with Gummer's rep telling Us Weekly, "It's very amicable." Walker had spoken of Gummer only months prior to their split, telling Vulture that Gummer "always worries about me in these things, and rightfully so. I don't have much experience doing it." While it's unclear what happened between the former lovebirds, Gummer went on to marry writer Mehar Sethi whom she shares a son with. Walker moved on as well.
Benjamin Walker married another co-star
While Benjamin Walker's first marriage didn't work out, it didn't take the actor long to find love again, this time with British actor Kaya Scodelario. According to People, the two met in 2014 on the set of the movie "The Moon and The Sun" and got engaged that December after only a few months of dating. Scodelario gushed on her Instagram that Walker made her "the happiest woman in the world" with his proposal, and by that next year the two were married.
In 2016, the couple welcomed a son together, whom they've mostly kept out of the spotlight by not showing his face or releasing his name. Then in September 2021, Scodelario announced on her Instagram that they were expecting another baby. While the couple chooses to keep their children private, that doesn't mean they don't gush about each other. In 2015, the "Skins" actor shared a photo of her husband's name tattooed on her ring finger. She also posted a photo of her and Walker in 2021, writing in the caption, "I'm missing you. Hurry up and come home."
As for Walker, he's referred to Scodelario on his Instagram as "My love. My life. My beautiful wife." He also told Hello! that he puts in work to keep their romance alive, saying that when it comes to marriage, "It adds pressure because you've got to continue courting for the rest of your life." He added, "Just because you're married doesn't mean that you give up."
Amber Midthunder is IG official with her boyfriend
Amber Midthunder is keeping busy these days, thanks to the success of "The Ice Road" of course, but also her CW series "Roswell, New Mexico," and her leading role in the Disney+ film "Prey." Yet, it seems the former "Legion" star did find time to find love and made it clear just how smitten she was on her Instagram.
In October 2021, Midthunder shared several photos of her cuddling a man named River Thomas. The two's body language hinted they were more than just friends as did her caption, where she wrote, "Like ya lots." Her "Roswell, New Mexico" costar Jeanine Mason seemed excited for her making it IG official with her man since she commented, "Well this is too much for my sister heart!" Thomas even shared the same caption on his own Instagram post but posted different photos of him and Midthunder canoodling.
According to CBC, Thomas is a co-host of the "Foxing Around" podcast, where he highlights stories of Indigenous people. Both Thomas and Midthunder are both members of tribes and are passionate about representing Indigenous people in the mainstream. "To have a native character and have it be female and strong I think it just important for native people to see," Midthunder explained in Interview. "For my family, or people on the reservation, I think that the more we see our own people doing things that we want to do, the more it breaks down the mental barrier to access."
Holt McCallany may have a longtime partner
Holt McCallany is a recognizable actor nowadays thanks to his role in the 2017 Netflix hit "Mindhunter," but the guy is good at keeping his personal life private. Despite that, several sources like Dating Celebs and TVOvermind report that he's been in a relationship since 2006 with actor/artist Nicole Wilson. While he hasn't mentioned Wilson or any relationship in interviews or posted about her on his Instagram, there are photos of McCallany and a woman who may be Wilson floating around the internet.
McCallany did reveal his views on having a family to NetworkWise though, saying, "I've always said to myself...when I'm established then I want to have a family. But I don't want to start a family until I'm successful because the demands of the business are so intense and you're constantly on the road."
Although McCallany doesn't talk about his own romance, he has opened up about his parents' relationship. According to The Wrap, since his Tony-winning producer father, Michael McAloney, was busy trying to make it on Broadway, he wasn't around much. Because of that, McCallany said his father eventually learned his mother, actor Julie Wilson, divorced him from a news headline. McCallany explained, "Apparently in Mexico, you could get a divorce in 25 minutes," so that's what his mother did.
Martin Sensmeier and his love started a family
It seems that actor Martin Sensmeier has found love with his partner Kahara Hodges. It's safe to assume "The Magnificent Seven" star has been dating the vocalist/model since at least 2016, considering that she was photographed alongside Sensmeier at a film event in his native Alaska that year. Hodges later shared her own photo of them kissing the following year, calling him "my babes" in the caption.
Since then, the two have gotten very serious, with Hodges writing in a 2019 post to Sensmeier, "You bring so much sunshine into my life...Thank you for nourishing my spirit in all the ways you do." The couple even started a family, with Hodges revealing in her 2020 pregnancy announcement post, "The Next Chapter in Our Love Story. It brings my heart so much joy to be creating sunshine with my partner @martinsensmeier."
Following the birth of their son, Hodges now posts about what a great dad Sensmeier is. She called him and their baby "The Kings of my Heart" in a 2021 post, and in another wrote, "You are the best Daddy! I am so grateful." But it's not just Hodges doing all the gushing about their relationship. In March 2021, Sensmeier posted that Hodges and their son are his world, and in another photo wrote, "you make EVERYTHING better!! We are so blessed and grateful to have you!" It's clear from their Instagrams that Sensmeier and Hodges have created quite the happy family.
Matt Salinger has been married for a while
When it comes to Hollywood marriages, you could definitely say that most usually don't last too long. Yet that is certainly not the case when it comes to actor Matt Salinger and his wife, Betsy Jane Becker. The two tied the knot all the way back in 1985 and their wedding announcement even appeared in The New York Times. The article described Becker as "a jewelry designer for ZEBE Ltd. in New York and Los Angeles" and Salinger as "an actor professionally...currently appearing in the movie 'The Revenge of the Nerds.'"
If that's not enough of a blast from the past, Salinger also spoke of marrying Becker in a 1984 interview with The Washington Post. At the time, he dished how his then-future wife inspired him to take on more acting roles. He explained, "I'm getting married to jewelry designer Betsy Becker pretty soon and I do have to think about earning a living."
The two have seemingly managed to stay out of the spotlight though, living away from Hollywood in Connecticut, per The Guardian. While the "Captain America" star has continued to steadily act over the years, he told The Guardian in 2019 that he's mostly focusing on his father, author J.D. Salinger's literary estate. He admitted, "When his widow and I were first gauging what needed to be done after he died... I knew that I would only be doing enough acting to keep my family's health insurance."
Matt McCoy and Marcus Thomas keep it private
There are a few stars of "The Ice Road" who keep their personal lives very hush-hush but that doesn't mean they haven't found partners of their own, it just implies that they are very good at keeping things under wraps. For example, actor Matt McCoy doesn't seem to do much press, but according to his IMDb bio, he has been married to a woman named Mary McCoy since 1985 and the couple have three children together. While Mary isn't an actor like her husband, she too has appeared in front of the camera alongside him in commercials for the financial services company The Hartford and AARP.
As for Marcus Thomas, it seems from his IMDb that he has been in show business for a long time, appearing in films like 2000's "Drowning Mona" and the 2011 crime drama "Kill the Irishman." However, despite the Belgian actor's steady career in Hollywood, when it comes to his love life, not much is known. Of course, fans probably hope that like many of his co-stars in "The Ice Road” that the actor too has found his happy ending in real life with someone special.
Although the conditions during the filming of "The Ice Road" may have been brutal and cold, it appears that almost every member of the cast had a partner to go home to and hopefully celebrate the film's success with.