Actor Sam Neill Opens Up About Cancer Diagnosis and Remission
Sam Neill, the beloved actor known for his roles in “Jurassic Park” and “The Piano,” recently revealed that he was diagnosed with stage 3 blood cancer last year. However, in a recent Instagram video, the 75-year-old actor announced that he has been in remission for eight months and is feeling “alive and well.”
Despite his reassuring message, Neill expressed frustration with news coverage focusing on his health struggles, saying, “I just wish the headline wasn’t ‘that thing’ so much, because the main thing is that I have written this book. And it does mention cancer because that’s the sort of context in which I wrote it.”
The book Neill is referring to is his upcoming memoir, “Did I Ever Tell You This? Movies, Life, Love and Other Catastrophes,” which he wrote while undergoing cancer treatment. In the memoir, Neill reflects on his unexpected journey as an actor and his many misadventures in life and love.
Despite his initial fears about the cancer diagnosis, Neill has remained positive throughout his treatment and recovery. He shared that he’s looking forward to returning to work next week to co-star with Annette Bening in the upcoming adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s book “Apples Never Fall.”
Perhaps most inspiring is Neill’s acceptance of his own mortality. In a recent interview with The Guardian, he shared that he’s “not afraid to die, but it would annoy me. I’d really like another decade or two, you know? We’ve built all these lovely terraces, we’ve got these olive trees and cypresses, and I want to be around to see it all mature. And I’ve got my lovely little grandchildren. I want to see them get big. But as for the dying? I couldn’t care less.”
Overall, Neill’s story is a reminder to all of us to stay positive in the face of adversity and to embrace every moment of life, no matter how unexpected or challenging it may be. We wish him continued health and happiness.
