“Jurassic Park” star Sam Neill has revealed that he’s being treated for stage-three blood cancer and is “possibly dying.”
The 75-year-old actor disclosed the news in his upcoming memoir, “Did I Ever Tell You This,” and in an interview with The Guardian.
“The thing is, I’m crook,” Neill said.
“Possibly dying. I may have to speed this up.
“I found myself with nothing to do.
“And I’m used to working. I love working. I love going to work.
“I love being with people every day and enjoying human company and friendship and all these things.
“And suddenly I was deprived of that.
“And I thought, ‘what am I going to do?’
“I never had any intention to write a book.
“But as I went on and kept writing, I realized it was actually sort of giving me a reason to live and I would go to bed thinking, ‘I’ll write about that tomorrow … that will entertain me.’
“And so it was a lifesaver really because I couldn’t have gone through that with nothing to do, you know.
“I can’t pretend that the last year hasn’t had its dark moments.
“But those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief, you know, and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends.
“Just pleased to be alive,” he said.
Neill told the BBC that he has had “a ferocious type of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.”
Not Sam Neil, not this year. For fucks sake.
— Corcoran Smith (@irlcorcoran) March 17, 2023
NOO!!!!! Come on!! I LOVE his character in Wick. Bad news is all over Hollywood! Sam Neil just announced he has stage 3 blood cancer.
— Christopher Deloge (@CDeloge) March 17, 2023
The New Zealand actor first achieved recognition with his appearance in the 1977 film “Sleeping Dogs,” which he followed with leading roles in “My Brilliant Career” (1979), “Omen III: The Final Conflict,” “Possession” (1981), “A Cry in the Dark” (1988), “Dead Calm” (1989), “The Hunt For Red October” (1990), “The Piano” (1993), and “In the Mouth of Madness” (1994).
He shot to international superstardom playing Dr. Alan Grant in “Jurassic Park” (1993), “Jurassic Park III” (2001), and “Jurassic World Dominion” (2022).
Neill has appeared in numerous television series, including “Reilly,” “Ace of Spies” (1983), “The Simpsons” (1994), “Merlin” (1998), “The Tudors” (2007), “Crusoe” (2008–2010), “Happy Town” (2010), “Alcatraz” (2012), “Peaky Blinders” (2013–2014), and “Rick and Morty” (2019).
He has presented and narrated several documentaries.
In 2021, he had a one-episode role on the Apple TV+ sci-fi series “Invasion.”
Neill is the recipient of the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, the Longford Lyell Award, the New Zealand Film Award, and the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor.
He also has three Golden Globe and two Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
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