Sam Neill (14 September 1947 – 13 July 2026) was a New Zealand actor whose career in film and television spanned nearly five decades. He made his screen debut in the New Zealand television film The City of No (1971). He subsequently appeared in the short film The Water Cycle (1972) and the television film Hunt's Duffer (1973). In 1974, he wrote and directed Phone, a short film produced for the New Zealand National Film Unit.
He made his feature film debut in Sleeping Dogs (1977) and went on to appear in films including My Brilliant Career (1979), Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981), Possession (1981), Dead Calm (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Piano (1993), Jurassic Park (1993), In the Mouth of Madness (1994), Event Horizon (1997), Bicentennial Man (1999), Jurassic Park III (2001), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Peter Rabbit (2018), Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021), and Jurassic World Dominion (2022).
Neill also had an extensive television career, with roles in series, miniseries and television films including Reilly, Ace of Spies (1983), Merlin (1998), The Tudors (2007–2010), Alcatraz (2012), Peaky Blinders (2013–2014), Invasion (2021–2025), and Apples Never Fall (2024). He also appeared in documentaries and provided voice performances for film and television.
During his career, Neill received nominations for three Golden Globes, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a British Academy Television Award.
Neill was regarded as one of New Zealand's most prominent actors and was noted for the breadth of his work across film and television.
Neill died on 13 July 2026 in Sydney, Australia, aged 78.
Film Year Title Role Notes 1972The Water CycleHimself"Short"1974Telephone EtiquetteHimself"Short"; Directed, Written & Starred Sam Neill 1975 Landfall Eric Ashes Priest "Short" 1977 Sleeping Dogs Smith 1979 Just Out of Reach Mike Rex My Brilliant Career Harry Beecham 1981 Damien Thorn Possession Mark From a Far Country Marian 1982 Attack Force Z Sergeant D. J. "Danny" Costello Enigma Dimitri Vasilikov 1983 Mr. Gentleman 1985 Robbery Under Arms Captain Starlight Plenty Lazar 1986 For Love Alone James Quick 1987 Neville Gifford 1988 Leap of Faith Oscar Ogg Evil Angels Michael Chamberlain Won – AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role 1989 Dead Calm John Ingram La Révolution française Marquis de Lafayette Shadow of China TV reporter Credited as John Dermot 1990 Captain 2nd rank Vasily Borodin Death in Brunswick Carl 'Cookie' Fitzgerald Nominated – AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role 1991 Until the End of the World Eugene Fitzpatrick 1992 Memoirs of an Invisible Man David Jenkins Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor Hostage John Rennie 1993 Alisdair Stewart Nominated – AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Jurassic Park Dr. Alan Grant 1994 Sirens Norman Lindsay Country Life Dr. Max Askey Colonel Geoffrey Brydon In the Mouth of Madness John Trent 1995 Restoration King Charles II Cinema of Unease: A Personal Journey by Sam Neill Narrator Voice; documentary; also writer and director 1996 Children of the Revolution Nine Victory Mr. Jones 1997 Event Horizon Dr. William Weir Snow White: A Tale of Terror Lord Fredrick Hoffman 1998 Robert MacLean Sweet Revenge Henry Bell 1999 Molokai: The Story of Father Damien Walter Murray Gibson Bicentennial Man 'Sir' Richard Martin 2000 My Mother Frank Professor Mortlock Nominated – AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Cliff Buxton Sam Sawnoff Voice A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 2001 Jurassic Park III Dr. Alan Grant Ludovic Won – Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival Award for Best Actor 2002 Dirty Deeds Ray 2003 Perfect Strangers 2004 Yes Anthony Wimbledon Dennis Bradbury Colin McCahon: I AmColin McCahonVoice; documentary 2005 Gallipoli Narrator Voice; documentary Little Fish 2006 Irresistible Craig 2007 Angel Théo The Making Of 'Daybreakers''' || Himself / Charles Bromley || Documentary || |- | rowspan=2| 2008 || Dean Spanley || Dean Spanley || || |- | Skin || Abraham Laing || || |- | rowspan=3| 2009 || In Her Skin || Mr. Reid || || |- | Under the Mountain || Mr. Jones || || |- | Daybreakers || Charles Bromley || || |- | 2010 || Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole || Allomere || Voice || |- | rowspan=2| 2011 || || Chris Chase || || |- | || Jack Mindy || Nominated – AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role || |- | 2012 || || Bill Thornton || || |- | rowspan=2| 2013 || Escape Plan || Dr. Kyrie || || |- | || Otto Luger || || |- | rowspan=2| 2014 || United Passions || João Havelange || || |- | || Minister Crichton || || |- | rowspan=3| 2015 || Backtrack || Duncan Stewart || || |- | || Walter Finch || Nominated – AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role || |- | MindGamers || Kreutz || || |- | rowspan=2| 2016 || Hunt for the Wilderpeople || Uncle Hec || || |- | Tommy's Honour || Alexander Boothby || || |- | rowspan=2| 2017 || Sweet Country || Fred Smith || || |- | Thor: Ragnarok || Odin Actor || Cameo || |- | rowspan=2| 2018 || || Captain David Hawthorne || || |- | Peter Rabbit || Mr. McGregor / Tommy Brock || Voice (for character Tommy Brock) || |- | rowspan=4| 2019 || Palm Beach || Leo || || |- | Blackbird || Paul || || |- | Ride Like a Girl || Paddy Payne || Nominated – AFCA Award for Best Supporting Actor || |- | Take Home Pay || Wedding Planner || Cameo || |- | 2020 || Rams || Colin || || |- | rowspan=2 | 2021 || Daisy Quokka: World's Scariest Animal || Frankie Scales || rowspan=2| Voice || |- | Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway || Tommy Brock || |- | rowspan=2| 2022 ||Jurassic World Dominion || Dr. Alan Grant || || |- | Thor: Love and Thunder || Odin Actor || Cameo || |- |rowspan=4| 2023 || || Dennis Tanner || || |- | Assassin Club || Jonathan Caldwell || || |- | Scarygirl || Dr. Maybee || Voice || |- | Bring Him to Me'' Frank McCarthy 2025 Voice 2027 Posthumous release Gerard
Television + Year Title Role Notes 1971City of No"A Neighbour"Television film1973Hunt's DufferBradleyTelevision film 1979–1980 Ben Dawson 40 episodes 1980 Lucinda Brayford Tony Duff Miniseries 1982 Ivanhoe Brian de Bois-Guilbert Television film 1983 Reilly, Ace of Spies Sidney Reilly MiniseriesNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film 1984 Dieter Bergman Television film 1985 Kane and Abel William Lowell Kane Miniseries 1986 Strong Medicine Vince Lord Television film 1987 Amerika Colonel Andrei Denisov Miniseries1991 Fever Eliott Television film One Against the Wind Major James Leggatt Television filmNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film1993 Family Pictures David EberlinTelevision film Alan Galbraith 1994 Molloy Voice; episode: "Homer the Vigilante" 1995 Forgotten Silver Himself Television film 1996 In Cold Blood Agent Alvin Dewey Miniseries1998 Merlin Merlin MiniseriesNominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Citytrans CEO Episode: "Transport" 2000 Sally Hemings: An American Scandal Thomas Jefferson Miniseries2001 Leunig Animated Narrator Voice; 50 episodes Space Himself Host; documentary series Submerged Lt. Cmdr. Charles Momsen Television film2002 Doctor Zhivago Victor Komarovsky Miniseries Framed Eddie MeyersTelevision film2004 Stiff Lionel Merricks Jessica Richard Runche MiniseriesLogie Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama SeriesNominated – AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama2005 Governor Arthur PhillipMiniseries To the Ends of the Earth Mr. Prettiman Eric Benerall MiniseriesNominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television2006 Merlin's Apprentice Merlin Miniseries Two Twisted Mick Episode: "Von Stauffenberg's Stamp" 2007 Cardinal Thomas Wolsey 10 episodesNominated – Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama SeriesNominated – Nymphe d'Or Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series 2008–2009 Crusoe Jeremiah Blackthorn 14 episodes2009 Iron Road Alfred Nichol Miniseries bro'Town Himself Voice; episode: "To Sam with Love"2010 Happy Town Merritt Grieves 8 episodes Rake Dr. Bruce Chandler Episode: "R v Chandler" 2011 Ice Anthony Kavanagh Miniseries 2012 Alcatraz Emerson Hauser 13 episodes 2013 Harry Jim "Stocks" Stockton MiniseriesThe OrdainedGov. Michael Thomas RileyTelevision film 2013–2014 Peaky Blinders Major Chester Campbell 12 episodes2014Short PoppiesMr. NealEpisode: Louise Cooper Old School Ted Macabe 8 episodes House of Hancock Lang HancockMiniseries 2015 And Then There Were None General John Gordon MacArthur2016 Tutankhamun Lord Carnarvon New Zealand: Earth's Mythical Islands Narrator DocumentaryNominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator Why Anzac with Sam NeillHimself Documentary; also writer and producer Country Calendar Episode: "Film Noir"2017 Julia Zemiro's Home Delivery1 episode Get Krack!n 2018 The Pacific: In the Wake of Captain Cook with Sam Neill Documentary series 2019 Rick and Morty Monogatron Leader Voice; episode: "The Old Man and the Seat" 2020 Flack Duncan Paulson Episode: "Duncan" 2020, 2023 Australian Story Himself 2 episodes 2021 Invasion Sheriff Jim Bell Tyson Episode: "Last Day" 2022–2025 Brett Colby Main role2024 Apples Never Fall Stan Delaney Miniseries T. REX NarratorDocumentary Himself / Interviewee 2025 Untamed Paul Souter Main role
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2015 Lego Jurassic WorldDr. Alan Grant Archive audio from the films 2018 Jurassic World Evolution Voice role; Return to Jurassic Park expansion 2021 Jurassic World Evolution 2 Voice role; Biosyn Dominion expansion
See also Cinema of New Zealand List of New Zealand actors
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