The question is significantly unsettling Sam Neill.
In a heartfelt interview, actor Sam Neill, renowned for his role in "Jurassic Park," found himself emotionally charged while answering questions from autistic interviewers on the Australian ABC show "The Assembly." When asked about the "best lesson" he learned from his parents, tears filled his eyes.
The 76-year-old, who's currently battling blood cancer, expressed his surprise at the question's impact. "Man, this is quite an impactful question," he admitted, battling back tears. "I'm not sure why it struck a chord with me, but it did." Neill seemed visibly affected by his emotions.
He went on to share that his parents, who lived through the Great Depression and World War I, were resilient individuals. His mother, who lost her father in World War I, raised him and his siblings with a stoic strength.
"I guess I was having a meltdown"
The actor recalled a time in his student days when he was more focused on theater and finding a girlfriend than studying. As exams loomed, he broke down, confiding in his mother about his feelings.
"I practically blurted out 'I'm having a meltdown and I've got exams coming up and I don't know what to do,'" Neill remembered with a laugh. "She just looked at me and said: 'Well, you'll just have to pull yourself together, won't you?'"
This, according to Neill, was the most valuable lesson he learned from her. "It's not a pleasant lesson, but it's a powerful one," he said. "Sometimes, you just have to pull yourself together."
Born in 1947 in Northern Ireland, Sam Neill is the son of a military family. His father, Dermot, was an army officer, and his mother, Priscilla, was English. The family moved back to New Zealand in 1954.
During the interview, Neill also spoke about his battle with blood cancer and the "brutal" chemotherapy. He shared his diagnosis in his memoir in March 2023 and joked about changing his treatment to avoid looking like a "bald thumb."
Neill concluded the interview by sharing that his cancer is currently in remission, but he will require monthly chemotherapy for the foreseeable future.
In his memoir, released in March 2023, Sam Neill revealed his current residence in New Zealand during his truthful discussion about battling blood cancer. Despite the challenging chemotherapy treatments, he joked about altering his treatment to prevent becoming a "bald thumb."
After his emotional interview, Neill found solace in New Zealand's serene landscapes, often citing the country as a source of comfort and inspiration in his journey with cancer.
