Natasha Richardson: 1963-2009

Tragic news to report: Natasha Richardson passed away today following injuries she received in a skiing accident this past Monday in Canada. She was 45 years old, and is survived by her husband Liam Neeson and their two sons, mother Vanessa Redgrave, sister Joely Richardson, aunt Lynn Redgrave and uncle Corin Redgrave.

Richardson made her film debut at age four in The Charge of the Light Brigade, directed by her father Tony Richardson. Her breakthrough roles were as Frankenstein author Mary Shelley in Gothic and as the notorious Patty Hearst, and her other notable screen performances include the films The Handmaid's Tale, The Comfort of Strangers, Nell (co-starring Neeson), The Parent Trap, Maid in Manhattan, The White Countess and Evening (co-starring her mother).

However, Richardson's greatest acclaim came from her work on the stage, including a Tony Award for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in the acclaimed 1998 Broadway revival of Cabaret; she had previously been nominated for her Anna Christie, and also received raves as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire.

Following her father's death from AIDS complications in 1991, Richardson helped raise millions of dollars in the fight against the disease through the charity amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.