Did you talk to a dog expert about how to regress into a dog in Dean Spanley?
WomanofWolfville
No, I didn’t consult anyone. I’ve studied dogs—knowingly or not—over the years, so the performance came from that.
I’ve had dogs my whole life. I understand them better than I understand people. I had a Staffordshire Bull Terrier for 15 years. They’re the most expressive dogs—every flicker of guilt or pleasure is written all over their faces. If I had to leave, my dog wouldn’t handle it well. I’d pack in secret—if she saw a suitcase, she’d sink into despair. When I came back, she’d walk right past me and ignore me as punishment. I’d think, “Are you ever going to forgive me?”
She was a rescue dog named Fire, and we had to keep the name because it was the only one she’d respond to. It was fine at home—“Come here, Fire”—but in the park, you’d be yelling “Fire!” like it was the end of the world.
She’d fly with me between New Zealand and Australia. It cost more to fly her in a crate than it did the rest of us. A friend who worked in airport ground staff once heard an announcement over the intercom: “Flight 8497 to Queenstown is delayed. Sam Neill’s dog has taken a shit in the back.”
How was it working with Robin Williams in Bicentennial Man?
stephenw1979
I loved Robin dearly. I hadn’t seen the film in nearly 30 years, but it popped up on Netflix the other day, so I watched it out of curiosity. It’s strange to see yourself as a much younger man whose hair they had to grey. More than anything, it reminded me how delightful Robin was.
His constant humor was almost a burden—he couldn’t help it. It would take us hours to get to the set because he knew every crew member by name—there must have been 200 of them—and he’d focus on one person and riff endlessly. It was amazing to watch.
There was another side to him too. The explanations for his death never quite capture the deep sadness he carried. You could sense it in quieter moments, just the two of us running lines in the trailer. Then we’d step outside, and he’d light up the room.
Which is more challenging—reacting to special effects you can’t see, like in Jurassic Park, or when the focus is entirely on tension, like in Dead Calm?
Ludders
Neither is easy. On Jurassic Park, there was plenty to see—huge puppet creatures built by Stan Winston. CGI was coming into its own, while animatronics had reached their peak. The combination worked beautifully—you believe the puppets because of the CGI, and the CGI because of the puppets.
I was especially fond of the T. rex. When it attacks the children through the sunroof of the Jurassic Park truck, there were dozens of people operating it. I was more worried about the T. rex than the kids. Sometimes it would lunge too far, hit the truck, and half a dozen teeth would fall out. We’d have to stop so the dinosaur dentist could fix its fangs.
Someone was making fun of me the other day and did the glasses-off thing. Spielberg didn’t ask for that. I just thought it was a good way to show complete astonishment—though it’s counterintuitive when you think about it. When you stare up into the bright sky, you should really put on your sunglasses, not take them off.
Do you enjoy playing the villain, like you did in The Piano?
GasparGarcao
Yes. I’d like to think that in real life, I’m a good guy, so playing a bad guy can be a lot of fun. I loved playing Major Campbell in Peaky Blinders because he had a very sad side, so I felt a little sorry for him. But I don’t feel sorry for the other very influential bad guys in positions of power.Right now, somewhere on the planet, there’s an animal. What does an animal have to do to get a celebrity name on your farm?
LouisLou
Sometimes it’s to annoy people; sometimes to flatter them. Helena Bonham Carter is very happy to be a cow. She’s had 16 calves now. She’s up for it, if nothing else. I have two new kunekune piglets. Amy Adams came to visit, so I thought: “It’s time this pig had a name.”
[Image: Sam Neill with his pig Angelica. Photograph: Fiona Goodall/The Guardian]
Amy Adams the pig isn’t a pretty thing by any standard, so it’s not very flattering. My rooster, Michael Fassbender, is usually pretty noisy in the morning, though he’s quiet today. He has a bit of a limp at the moment, which is ironic, because I tend to call him my big cock.
Why did you decide to switch from your actual first name – Nigel?
PickleMan
Changing it has been the best decision I’ve ever made. Now there’s – God save us – the vague chance that one of the worst Nigels ever could become prime minister. Exceptions prove the rule – Havers, Planer, Davenport. Mostly, Nigels are fools.
No one in the UK has named their child Nigel for years. I’m not surprised. It’s the wettest name ever. There’s a pub up north somewhere where they have a Nigel reunion, where these poor Nigels get together and comfort each other. Maybe I should go and speak.
I got out of the Nigel game when I was 11, because my best friend was called Nigel, so it was practical. My brother and sister still call me Nigel, but that’s about it. If I’d stayed as Nigel Neill, I don’t think I would have had a film career.
Who do you support when Ireland play the All Blacks?
PeteTheBeat
There’s something about sport in general that has become so – I don’t know – unsporting. It’s so commercial. I don’t want to cheer for a business. I’d choose Ireland because they’re the underdog. Everyone’s the underdog to the All Blacks, until they play South Africa. Then the All Blacks become the underdog, and I’m the first to get behind them.
[Image: Jurassic Park (1993). Photograph: Moviestore Collection Ltd/Alamy]
How have you changed your diet since your cancer diagnosis?
janeytinspain
When I left hospital, I was looking forward to going to some good restaurants. I said to my nurse: “What should I be eating?” She said: “Sam, eat whatever you feel like.”
I was on chemo for five years. You can’t eat at all for two or three days after chemo. So now, I eat whatever I want. I grow a lot of fruit on the farm – and I’ve just had my breakfast, which involved stewed plums, stewed apricots, and stewed rhubarb, all of which I grow down in the veggie garden.
Would you have honestly turned down the role of Bond?
RoyWilliams
I suspect I would have done it – because I was bullied into doing the bloody screen test by my agent, Margaret – God rest her soul. I’m also aware that I wouldn’t have enjoyed my life as much if I was an ex-Bond. That’s what people would say when I went for my morning coffee. “Look – it’s what’s-his-name, who used to be James Bond?” “Yeah, he was the one I never really liked.”
Do you know what’s happened to the mythical missing footage from Event Horizon?
The_Mighty_Clam and clickclickdrone
There’s quite a bit more material – a number of scenes where you don’t know where the threat is. When people make thrillers or horror films, they overlook: it’s what you don’t see that’s scary. If you can see the monster, you can deal with it. But if you can’t, who knows what’s going to happen? When I first saw the theatrical cut, I was surprised that we never had time for those eerie, darker moments. How they went missing permanently, I have no idea.
You have such a recognisable face. Is this part of your success?
AmongstTheWaves
No. If anything, I’ve had to overcome the ordinariness ofOf my appearance.
[View image in fullscreen: Sam Neill near his vineyard in New Zealand earlier this year. Photograph: Aina J Khan]
Do you remember being invited to your college to receive an honorary tie and making the whole school burst out laughing by saying how much you hated it there? That’s all in the past now. I was a boarder in New Zealand from the age of nine, which was tough, but I got through it. I remember talking to those boys, looking at all the prefects and the First XI and First XV, who all had fancy striped blazers—something I never had because I was never good at anything. I pointed to all the important boys and said, “Look, you’ve done well. I’m not interested in you. It’s everyone without a special blazer that I care about. You’re the ones who’ll make something of your lives.” If you were made head prefect, you’d never get over that. The rest of your life would be a letdown.
If it gets too hot for pinot noir, are you emotionally ready to start making chardonnay? We had two acres of pinot noir at our Fusilier vineyard, which never did particularly well, so this season we pulled it up to plant chardonnay. In a couple of years, we’ll have our own organic chardonnay ready to go. I want to live long enough to pour my first glass of chardonnay, so I’m looking forward to that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on Sam Neills statement Ive had to get past the fact that I look pretty ordinary
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Who is Sam Neill and why is he talking about looking ordinary
Sam Neill is a famous actor known for films like Jurassic Park and The Piano He made this comment in an interview while discussing his career and selfimage
2 What does he mean by I look pretty ordinary
He means he doesnt see himself as a classic Hollywood leading man with striking or unique features He considers his appearance average or unremarkable
3 Is Sam Neill saying hes not handsome
No not exactly Hes saying he had to accept that his looks arent what typically makes a movie star He had to stop worrying about not fitting that traditional handsome mold
4 Why would an actor need to get past looking ordinary
In the film industry actors often feel pressure to have a certain look Getting past it means he stopped letting his insecurities about his appearance hold him back from getting roles
AdvancedLevel Questions
5 How did Sam Neills ordinary look actually help his career
It likely made him more versatile Because he didnt have a specific type he could play a wider range of charactersscientists farmers villains and everymenwithout the audience being distracted by his looks
6 Does this quote reveal a secret to acting success
Yes It suggests that focusing on skill character and presence is more important than looks Neills success proves that an actor can be a huge star by being believable and compelling not just by being conventionally attractive
7 How does this statement relate to imposter syndrome
It shows he battled a form of imposter syndromefeeling he didnt belong because he didnt look like a real movie star Overcoming that selfdoubt was key to his confidence and longevity
8 Whats a realworld example of this ordinary look working for him
His role as Dr Alan Grant in
