Nick Mills: Sir Sam Neill was a true Kiwi legend

EDITORIAL:

I start the programme this morning with incredibly sad news that last night, New Zealand lost one of its true greats. 

Sir Sam Neill has died. 

Now, I'm not going to spend the next hour listing every film he made or every award he won, because, quite frankly, we already know what Sir Sam Neill achieved.  

We know the remarkable career he built. We know the incredible body of work he leaves behind.  

From Sleeping Dogs to The Piano, from Jurassic Park to Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and so many memorable performances in between, he became one of the most recognisable Kiwi faces worldwide. 

He didn't just represent New Zealand. He represented us with dignity, humour, intelligence and class. I’m so proud to think he was the person representing us on the world stage. 

Only a few months ago he was talking about beating cancer again.  

His family said he died suddenly, surrounded by those he loved, peacefully and with the dignity that defined his life. There's some comfort in that, even though the loss feels enormous. 

I've never actually met Sir Sam. 

The closest I ever came was years ago.  

There were always rumours he owned a house at the end of the street where I lived.  

One day I happened to see him standing quietly at the top of his driveway, waiting for a taxi. That was it. 

No conversation. No introduction. Just one of those little moments you remember. 

I'll remember exactly where I was when I heard he'd died.  

I was sitting in the car at the traffic lights outside Rutherford & Bond. Funny how news like this freezes a moment in time forever. 

Some people leave an impression on your life even if you never met them. 

Sir Sam Neill was one of those people. 

He was an extraordinary actor, a proud New Zealander, a storyteller, an internationally acclaimed winemaker, an advocate for the places and people he loved, and by all accounts, a genuinely decent human  

This morning isn't just about remembering a brilliant actor. 

It's about remembering one of us, one of our own, who became a true, true international icon. 

Sir Sam Neill. 

Rest in peace. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
When they dream of home.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
What did they say?

Speaker 1 (00:22):
Smile for Daddy?

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Nobody move a muscle.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
I guess we'll just have to evolve to Alan. Yeah,
one of the dinosaurs come back when we're all asleep.
Monday a week, All.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Night, good night, good morning, and welcome to Tuesday, the
fourteenth of July. I started the program this morning with
the incredibly sad used that last night New Zealand lost
one of its true greats. So Same Neil has died.

(01:07):
Now I'm not going to spend the hour listening every
film he made, every award he won, because quite frankly,
we all know what's this Sam Neil achieved. We all
know the remarkable career that he built. We all know
the incredible body of work he leaves behind, from Sleeping

(01:29):
Dogs to The Piano, to Terassic Park to Hunt for
the World People and so many memorable performances in between.
He became one of New Zealand's most recognizable Kiwi faces
world wide. Director of Sleeping Dogs. In Mune shared what

(01:49):
made Sam Neil so special to Mike costkme This morning.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
Whenever anybody went to see a Sam Neil film, they
knew they were getting the truth.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
Everyone speaks well of them. There's not a I mean,
he just seems like a genuinely nice guy. Everybody genuinely liked,
if not loved him.

Speaker 1 (02:11):
Yeah, pretty much, pretty much.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
He didn't just represent New Zealand, he represented us with dignity.
Humor always gets talked about. You wouldn't look at him
and say he was a funny guy, would you, Because
we always saw him in his serious roles, intelligence and class.
Always class always looked so classy, so impeccable, so proud

(02:38):
to think that that was the face, the person, the
buy and the body that represented us on a world stage.
And only a few months ago he was talking about
beating cancer again. His family said that he died suddenly,
surrounded by those that he loved, peacefully and with the
dignity that divined his life. We've got to take some

(03:03):
comfort from that, don't we. Even though this feels enormous now,
I've never actually met Sistam. The closest I ever got
to him was many years ago. There was always rumors
that he owned not one, but two houses down the
street from where I lived, And one day I happened
to be getting into my car and saw them standing

(03:27):
fifty forty sixty meters away the top of his driveway
waiting for a taxi. That was it. No conversation, no introduction,
just one of those little moments that you remember. And
you know what, I'll remember exactly where I was when
I heard he died. I was sitting in the traffic lights,

(03:47):
driving home outside Ruddifon and Bond. And isn't it amazing
how these news pieces, these pieces and just heard it
on news talks there be they freeze you for a
moment in time forever. I'll always remember where I heard
we'd lost Sir Sam. Some people can leave an impression

(04:10):
on your life, even if you never meet them. Sir
Sam was one of those people. Not only was he
an extraordinary actor, a proud New Zealander, a storyteller or
wine maker, international acclaimed wine maker, an advocate for the
places and people he loved, and by all accounts, every

(04:33):
single person you ever talked to said he was a
decent human being. This morning isn't just about remembering a
brilliant actor. It's about remembering one of us, one of
our own that became a true, true international icon. Sir

(04:58):
sam Neil, please rest in peace.

Speaker 1 (05:05):
For more Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live to
news talks It'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio