Sam Neill, best known for his role in the Jurassic Park franchise, has revealed a courageous battle against stage three blood cancer, specifically angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a form that can manifest through symptoms like high fever, night sweats, and skin rashes.
Speaking candidly to Australian Story, Sam disclosed that the traditional treatment, chemotherapy, hadn't yielded the desired results – it stopped working after three months.
However, he found hope in a cutting-edge experimental drug that is currently fighting off the non-Hodgkin blood cancer, putting Sam in remission.
While doctors have warned him that the drug's efficacy could diminish over time, the 76-year-old actor is facing this reality with characteristic courage and a touch of his trademark wit. "I'm not in any way frightened of dying. That doesn't worry me... but I would be annoyed," he remarked.
"I'd be annoyed because there are things I still want to do. Very irritating, dying. But I'm not afraid of it."
His journey, however, has had its dark moments. Sam released intimate photographs from his chemotherapy sessions, revealing a visage almost unrecognizable without his signature salt-and-pepper hair and beard. "
There were times in the last year where I had to look at myself in the mirror, and I wasn't a pretty sight," he confided, "I was stripped of any kind of dignity."
This life-altering diagnosis came at a poignant time. Sam discovered he had cancer during his first trip back to New Zealand after prolonged lockdowns.
His son, Tim, shared the emotional turmoil of that day, recalling how a doctor delivered the grim news just an hour after Sam's return. The reunion's joy quickly turned to sorrow. "When he hung the phone up, we sat down, and we had a little bit of a cry together. It was supposed to be a happy day," Tim recalled.
Describing his ordeal, Sam said, "I was in really a fight for my life. Everything was a new world, a rather alarming world."
The conventional chemotherapies he underwent were, in his words, "brutal". Tim's visit during one of these sessions only underscored the grave situation. He was devastated by the frail state of his father, noting, "He was just, you know, bones and skin."
But then, a silver lining appeared. Despite a severe relapse, the experimental drug came into play, leading to 12 months of remission. Sam maintains a pragmatic perspective about his health: "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."
The actor's treatment journey continues with bi-weekly infusions, a challenging regimen he described as "very grim and depressing".
In the midst of this tumultuous period, Sam began penning his memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?. He first announced his illness in its pages, hinting at a possible farewell. "I didn't know really how long I had to live," he admitted.
The memoir, which chronicles his illustrious 50-year career, became a therapeutic outlet. "I thought I need to do something, and I thought, 'Shall I start writing?' A year later, not only have I written the book... but it's come out in record time," he proudly shared.
For Sam, writing wasn't just about storytelling; it was a lifeline. "It was giving me a reason to live. I would go to bed thinking, 'I'll write about that tomorrow… that will entertain me.'"
The seasoned actor, reflecting on life, reiterated his lack of fear of the inevitable. "I couldn't care less [about dying]," he shared. What he does care about, however, is witnessing the future—seeing his olive trees and cypresses mature, watching his beloved grandchildren grow up.