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Sam Neill breaks down in tears during emotional interview following cancer diagnosis
22 August 2024, 11:35
Sam Neill, the beloved New Zealand actor known for his iconic roles in films like Jurassic Park, recently gave a deeply emotional interview that has touched the hearts of many.
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Now 76 years old, Neill is courageously battling stage-three blood cancer, and during an appearance on the debut episode of ABC’s series The Assembly, he shared a poignant moment that revealed the profound influence his parents had on his life.
During the interview, one of the autistic interviewers in training asked Neill what the “best lesson” he had learned from his parents was—a question that unexpectedly struck a deep emotional chord. “Wow, that’s a really interesting question,” Neill responded, visibly taken aback.
“I think they were… I don’t know why that question has moved me so much, but it has.” As he attempted to gather his thoughts, the emotion in his voice was evident, and he struggled to continue.
Neill then spoke about his parents, Priscilla and Dermot, who belonged to a generation that endured significant hardships. “My parents were of the generation that went through a lot of things. They went through the Depression. My mother lost her father in the first war. She grew up without her father. They went through a lot of stuff, but they were very stoic people,” he said, his voice filled with reverence and admiration.
The question that shook Sam Neill | The Assembly | ABC iview
Reflecting further, Neill shared a vivid memory from his university days when he was grappling with anxiety over his studies. “I did bugger all because I was too busy acting in plays and trying to find a girlfriend,” he recalled with a hint of humour.
As final exams loomed, Neill realized he hadn’t prepared adequately, and the pressure began to mount. “I became very anxious as exams came up, and I realized I hadn’t done any studying,” he said. In a moment of vulnerability, he turned to his mother, telling her, “Oh, I think I’m having a breakdown and I’ve got exams in a couple of weeks, and I don’t know how I’m going to go.”
His mother’s response was both stern and loving, imparting a lesson that Neill has carried with him throughout his life. “She just looked at me and said, ‘Well, you’re just going to have to pull yourself together, aren’t ya?’” Neill recounted, pausing to let the words sink in. “I think that was the best lesson I learned from her—sometimes you just have to pull yourself together. It’s a tough lesson, but it’s a good one.”
Neill’s reflections on his parents are intertwined with his own experiences and challenges, particularly his current battle with cancer.
Diagnosed in 2022 during his first trip back to New Zealand after the COVID-19 lockdowns, Neill described the moment he received the devastating news. “I was in really a fight for my life. And everything was a new world and a rather alarming world,” he said, conveying the shock and fear that accompanied the diagnosis.
His son, Tim, vividly remembers the day they learned about the cancer. “When he hung the phone up and we sat down, and we had a little bit of a cry together. It was supposed to be a happy day. He didn’t get to stay,” Tim recalled, highlighting the bittersweet nature of what was meant to be a joyful reunion after years of separation.
Neill underwent several months of chemotherapy, which he described as “brutal.” The physical toll was significant, and Neill candidly spoke about how the treatment affected him.
“I’m on a different one now, so at least I don’t look like somebody’s bald thumb. That’s what I looked like for quite a while—it was embarrassing, and I lost my beard and everything, and my dignity went with it,” he said, managing to inject a touch of humour into a difficult subject.
Tim, who visited his father during his chemotherapy, was deeply affected by the sight of his weakened state. “I was shocked, and I broke down and I could barely hug him. He was just, you know, bones and skin,” Tim said.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Neill couldn’t resist lightening the mood, giving his son a hard time for being upset. “He was giving me a hard time for being upset about it and saying I was stressing him out, but I was going: ‘What are you talking about, Dad?’” Tim recalled with a mix of humour and heartbreak.
Even as he faces this formidable challenge, Neill maintains a pragmatic outlook on his illness. “I know I’ve got it, but I’m not really interested in it. It’s out of my control. If you can’t control it, don’t get into it,” he said, offering a glimpse into the resilience and acceptance that have become central to his approach.
Thankfully, an experimental cancer drug has brought Neill into remission, a state he has maintained for nearly two years. However, he remains realistic about the future.
“I’m prepared for the fact that it will eventually stop working,” he admitted. For now, he continues with bi-weekly infusions, which he describes as “very grim and depressing,” but necessary to keep the disease at bay.
