Zoe Williams interviewed Sam Neill in 2024, remotely, while he was filming the Netflix series Untamed in Vancouver. They discussed his quirky Australian courtroom drama The Twelve. Neill was immediately disarmingly frank, stating that the second season was considerably stronger than the first, which was true—the first being a little schlocky and the second showing more trust in its audience. Actors rarely criticize their projects, making Neill's honesty refreshing and warm.
Cancer Treatment and a New Perspective
Neill had recently undergone treatment for angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, which spurred him to write his memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This? This experience gave him a no-bullshit perspective. He described himself as an idle man, but Williams challenged this given his prolific body of work, including Dead Calm, The Hunt for Red October, Jurassic Park, My Brilliant Career, and Possession. Neill insisted he was an idler, despite working constantly.
Comparing Books and Self-Deprecation
During the interview, Neill disappeared to find his memoir but returned with Richard Flanagan's Question 7, saying, 'Never mind my book, this book is better.' This encapsulated his boyish, generous, self-aware modus operandi. He was right—Question 7 is brilliant.
Early Career and Hollywood
Neill's first feature, Sleeping Dogs (1976), was the first New Zealand film to have a US release. He didn't become a full-time actor until age 30. Dead Calm shot him and Nicole Kidman to international fame, but Neill never wanted to move to Hollywood; his longest stint in LA was 18 months. He felt it wasn't a place to raise kids—he is survived by son Tim (born 1983 with Lisa Harrow) and daughter Elena (born 1991 with Noriko Watanabe). He also found LA boring for adults: 'There was nothing but show business. No other conversations, no other interests. It bores the shit out of me.'
Rural Life and Sanity
Neill's life balanced performance and rural farming. He said, 'I farm, I grow wine, and that keeps me sane. If I was only doing one, I'd go absolutely nuts.' The Piano was his most impactful independent movie, but he was proudest of Possession, a film that was 'very Polish and very brave,' with Isabelle Adjani astonishing. He was asked to go to places he'd never been asked before.
Post-Cancer Honesty and Love for Work
After cancer treatment, Neill's main residue was absolute truthfulness. He called action movies dumb and noted that cinema's golden age was the 50s to 70s. Yet he wasn't jaded and worked constantly, 'probably more than I should, but that's because I enjoy it so much. The idea of not working fills me with dread.' He added, 'Some of it is to do with coming from a little place, the most obscure place in the world, and being asked to do something with an international dimension. How immensely seductive is that?'
