Vale Sam Neill
We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of acclaimed Aotearoa New Zealand actor, author and winemaker, Sam Neill.
Born in Northern Ireland and raised in New Zealand, Neill became one of the most respected and recognisable actors of his generation. With a career spanning more than five decades, he built an extraordinary body of work that earned him international acclaim, whilst still maintaining a deep connection with both New Zealand and Australia.
Neill first came to prominence in the landmark New Zealand film Sleeping Dogs in 1977 before becoming a familiar face on Australian screens in productions including Dead Calm, My Brilliant Career and The Sullivans. He later achieved global fame through his portrayal of Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise.
His remarkable career also included acclaimed performances in Peaky Blinders, The Hunt for Red October and The Piano, earning him a reputation as one of the most versatile and admired actors of his generation. In 2022 he was knighted for his services to drama and charity.
Neill was also a big fan of music from both sides of the ditch and a close friend of singer, songwriter and APRA Chair, Jenny Morris MNZM OAM. She says:
"Sam was a music nut. He particularly loved NZ/AU music and music makers. He loved a strum on the uke and a sing along with friends. If you asked who his favourite band was, he wouldn’t say but those who knew him, knew what he was thinking, as daggy as it was …. The Beach Boys. But he had varied tastes, Radiohead, Marlon Williams, Rosalia, The Head and the Heart and Weyes Blood. His love of music was endless.
"The last public appearance he made was at the ARIA Hall of Fame event, a night I won’t soon forget. You can watch footage of him, lost in the moment, loving the music, people coming to pay homage to him, (he got a lot of that), and being happy and lost in the moment.
"Sam was passionate about AU/NZ artists, and he was a collector of some of the best. Ralph Hotere, Rita Angus, Colin McMahon, Nicholas Harding, the list goes on.
"He was such good company. He was a person you could be quiet with, on a farm, miles from anywhere, just sit and say nothing or you could be raucous, yelling with unstoppable laughter and if the joke was in any way ‘blue’, Sam would turn bright red (still guffawing away). Ever genteel.
"I and my family and our dear friends loved Sam, we LOVED him. The world is grieving en masse at the moment, for one man from NZ because he was genuine, in his interest, his humour, his self-deprecation, his passions, he was genuine. Add to that, the devastating twinkle in the eye and the dry wit and you definitely understand the universal love and loss felt for our Sam."
Neill is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.
Moe mai rā / Rest in Peace.
