Annie Murray: Film Commission CEO on the sudden death of Sir Sam Neill

The film industry is mourning the loss of one of New Zealand's greats, with news of Sir Sam Neill's sudden passing. 

His family's confirmed Neill died at a Sydney Hospital, aged 78.

The Northern Ireland-born actor moved to New Zealand in 1954 at age eight - and began his five-decade acting career in the 70s. 

He starred in award-winning films and TV in New Zealand and abroad, including Jurassic Park, The Piano and Peaky Blinders.

Film Commission Chief Executive Annie Murray says it's a very sad day. 

"He had carved out an international career while he remained very firmly anchored here as a New Zealander - we will be feeling his loss locally, but also internationally." 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
As we revealed about an hour ago on the show,
beloved New Zealand actor Sam Neil has died. He was
seventy eight years old. Now. His family confirmed the death
in Sydney and they said it was sudden and unexpected,
but they also said it was blessed by the fact
that Sam remained cancer free because he's had a highly

(00:21):
publicized five year battle against blood cancer. So it wasn't
the cancer coming back and bottom. But still he's gone.
So to talk about Sam, I've got Film Commission Chief
Executive Annie Murray with me right now. Any good evening
to you, hi, Andrew. So this is a big shock.
He went through the riggers of the blood cancer and

(00:41):
he got through using the cut tea therapy and we
thought we might get some more years with the man.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Yes, that's right. It's incredibly sad news, a huge loss
to New Zealand enter the world. In fact, you know,
he had carved out an international career while he remained
very soonly anchored here as an Zeelander. So will be
feeling his loss locally but also internationally. Very sad day.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
I think about him in many different ways. Of course.
The blockbuster actor, the Peaky Blinders actor, the Jurassic Park actor,
et cetera, Evental Horizon Hunt from Red October, all those films.
But I always remember the fact that he started off
with the New Zealand film unit, and in fact he
was always right from the beginning. Before he became an
actor with Sleeping Dogs, he was already documenting New Zealand story.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yes, that's right, and he continued to do that throughout
his career. You know, he was known for his versatility.
He was the Hollywood blockbuster guy, as you've already pointed out,
but also you know, small independent films he would support
and star in. He also hosted as well as produced
documentaries for film and for television. So a very rustile

(01:55):
and highly experienced actor and producer. So he will be
really awliness.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
Yes, and for such a famous man, he is making
news headlines right across the world right now. I met
him a couple of times, and what is absolutely stunning
when you talk to Sam Neil was just how humble
he was. His humility and the lack of grandstanding and
the gentle way he would talk to you, and he
had talked to you as a real person from his heart.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yes, that's right. One of the genuine good guys. You know.
He was very kind, he was generous, had a really
keen intelligence and was always up for a laugh. A
very gentle soul who was just really lovely. You know.
I think there's something to be said for people who

(02:43):
were really kind with children and with animals, and that
was Sam. You know, I just had to look back
at some of his social media to see, you know,
just how fond he was of his pets. He would
talk to birds, he was you know, he was a
good guy his farm down south.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
I saw a social media post of him last week
and he was in Sydney and he was talking to
a pigeon.

Speaker 2 (03:08):
There you go.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
But I also I also love the fact that he
all his farm animals he gave them names of famous
actors that he knew, like Meryl Streep and Samuel L. Jackson. Right,
and you went out with it with a pig that
has the name of a glamorous film actor, which showed
his right his humor there as well.

Speaker 2 (03:29):
Very beautiful pigs too.

Speaker 1 (03:31):
Magnificent pigs, Coudy, cooneyes et cetera. Now, as a fair
to say he has been New Zealand's most successful and
greatest ever actor.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Oh gosh, look, I think you probably could say that
about Sam. You know, his career started, as he said
in the film Unit before that foot starring role in
Sleeping Dogs and nineteen seventy seven. I mean you know,
he went on to make films in Australia and then
World Jurassic Park, I think nineteen ninety three, three Jurassic

(04:04):
Park films. He even did a voice on The Simpsons.
But you know Riley A, sub Spies, Peaky Blinders, all
of that stuff. Incredible career, very broad, very deep, and
incredibly versatile.

Speaker 1 (04:18):
So there's a number of Texters who have been saying,
ever since the News broken hour ago, don't forget that
Sam Neil is the only New Zealander who was ever
considered to be James Bond because he was that cool.

Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yes, that's right, he did come very close. I have
a conversation with him about that once. That's what a
wonderful James Bond he would have.

Speaker 1 (04:41):
It would have been wonderful, But I understand he would
have hated it. He said, I would have hated it,
you know, because that wasn't quite his thing, because his
thing was not just it wasn't the big films Jurassic
Park and Hunt for Reck October and all those others,
they're actually an outlier. His real skill was finding the
small film that had the character, and often in austron Asians.

(05:01):
So we're talking about things like The Dish, where he's
magnificent in The Dish. We're talking about Hunt for the
Wilder People, where again he was magnificent in New Zealand story,
but it was this smaller film which had character that
he loved the most.

Speaker 2 (05:15):
That's right. He was an incredible supporter of those smaller
independent films, and you're quite right, there are many many
of them that he acted in in his time, and
you know he The last time I saw Sam was
at the relaunch of Hunt for the Wilder People earlier
this year where the film was remastered and re released,
and he came to the cast and crewe screening in

(05:38):
Auckland and he got quite emotional actually talking about the
film and about what it meant to him. It was
a really beautiful moment and it's, I think for everyone
who was there that night, a lovely way to remember Sam.

Speaker 1 (05:52):
Well, heck was all of our favorite uncle, and of
course in that film, you know he mentored Julian Dennison
and in that film he solidified his friendship with Tigerwait
Tit and they those three in particularly have taken our
acting to the world. And it is a very sad day.
And any thank you take for taking time out of

(06:13):
your evening to talk to us and remember Sam Neil.

Speaker 2 (06:15):
Today, you're very welcome.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
Thank you, Annie Murray, who is from the New Zealand
Film Commission.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
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