Sam Neill

•  Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill, DCNZM, OBE
  • Born 14 September 1947 in Omagh, Northern Ireland, but family returned to Dunedin, New Zealand in 1954. Was named Nigel, but became known as "Sam" at school in NZ.
  • Attended Christ College in Christchurch and Canterbury University, taking part in drama productions, but not taking acting classes.
  • After university toured for a year with the Players Drama Quartet, then worked with the National Film Unit in Wellington, directing documentaries.
  • Landed the lead role in Sleeping dogs (1977), the first full length New Zealand film to be released in the United States.
  • Was asked to audition for the male lead in My brilliant career, and moved to Australia to make acting his career.
  • Worked in television and movies there, then was cast in The final conflict: the omen, filmed in London, where he met Lisa Harrow, mother of his son Tim.
  • Made a number of mini-series in London, including Reilly: ace of spies, and received a Golden Globe nomination for the television series.
  • Continued to make movies (Evil angels with Meryl Streep in 1988, Dead calm in 1989, The hunt for Red October in 1990, The piano in 1993).
  • Gained commercial success and recognition in the United States with Jurassic Park (1993) and playing Merlin in a television mini-series (1998).
  • In 1996 narrated the hoax documentary Forgotten silver.
  • Other work includes The Dish, released in 2000, and Jurassic Park III, released in 2001.
  • Has developed an interest in wine with the Two Paddocks vineyard near Queenstown.
  • Has set up a production company, Huntaway Films, with fellow actor John Clarke. First film was Perfect Strangers, directed by Gaylene Preston, which is to be released in 2003.