• News
  • Life
  • TV & Film
  • Beauty
  • Style
  • Home
  • News
    • Celebrity
    • Entertainment
    • Politics
    • Royal Family
  • Life
    • Animals
    • Food & Drink
    • Women's Health
    • Mental Health
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Travel
    • Real Life
  • TV & Film
    • True Crime
    • Documentaries
    • Netflix
    • BBC
    • ITV
    • Tyla Recommends
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Make-up
    • Skincare
  • Style
    • Home
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
Submit Your Content
Jurassic Park star Sam Neill reveals stage-three cancer diagnosis

Home> Celebrity

Updated 19:12 17 Mar 2023 GMTPublished 18:36 17 Mar 2023 GMT

Jurassic Park star Sam Neill reveals stage-three cancer diagnosis

The 75-year-old actor made the admission in his memoir.

Katherine Sidnell

Katherine Sidnell

Jurassic Park actor Sam Neill has revealed that he had stage three cancer, after a heartbreaking diagnosis.

The 75-year-old actor is most famous for his role as Alan Grant, in the classic nineties film which sees dinosaurs come to life.

Having received the dreadful prognosis, the actor has since written about the condition in his memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?

Sam Neill is most famous for playing Alan Grant.
Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

Advert

Though most of us would be devastated by the news, the Tudors actor made light of his life-treating illness.

In the third chapter of his recently released book, he joked: “The thing is, I’m crook. Possibly dying. I may have to speed this up.”

Though he'd never intended to write a full memoir, Neill felt that it gave him a sense of purpose whilst he endured treatment for his angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.

He also starred in HBo drama, The Tudors.
PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Advert

During a recent interview with The Guardian, he reflected on his writing process and how it 'entertained' him.

"I found myself with nothing to do. And I’m used to working. I love working. I love going to work. I love being with people every day and enjoying human company and friendship and all these things," he said, adding that he felt 'deprived' when he was able to return to set.

The New Zealander actor also revealed he'd first noticed something was wrong during the press tour for Jurassic Park: World Dominion last year.

After realising that he had swollen glands, he sought out a diagnosis which confirmed his stage three cancer.

Advert

The 75 year old was diagnosed with stage three cancer.
Andrew Fox / Alamy Stock Photo

Almost immediately, Neill threw himself into writing.

“I never had any intention to write a book," he admitted, adding: "But as I went on and kept writing, I realised it was actually sort of giving me a reason to live and I would go to bed thinking, ‘I’ll write about that tomorrow… that will entertain me."

He also revealed that the book had become a 'lifesaver', saying that he would have struggled to cope without writing.

Advert

The actor wrote his memoir during his treatment.
NurPhoto SRL / Alamy Stock Photo

However, he admitted that the had been plenty of 'dark moments', including the chemotherapy being unsuccessful.

“I can’t pretend that the last year hasn’t had its dark moments,” he told the paper: “But those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief, you know, and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends. Just pleased to be alive.”

Neill is now cancer-free, thanks to a new chemotherapy drug which he will remain on indefinitely.

Featured Image Credit: Moviestore Collection Ltd / ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: Celebrity, Health, TV And Film

Katherine Sidnell
Katherine Sidnell

Katherine is an entertainment journalist with a love of all things nerdy. Starting out writing Doctor Who fan fiction as a kid, she has gone on to interview the likes of Matt Damon, James May and Dua Lipa to name a few. Published in The Sun, The Daily Mail and Evening Standard - she now joins Ladbible as resident nerd in chief.

X

@ksidnell

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

2 hours ago
4 hours ago
5 hours ago
  • Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Americana Music Festival
    2 hours ago

    Priscilla Presley recalls tragic moment she took daughter Lisa Marie off life support

    Priscilla said it 'was the second saddest day of my life, other than losing Elvis'

    Entertainment
  • Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
    4 hours ago

    Kendall Jenner sparks debate after sharing one job she’d quit modelling for

    Kendall Jenner has been modelling since she was just 14

    Entertainment
  • Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty Images)
    4 hours ago

    Colin Farrell reveals married co-star Margot Robbie 'turns him on' and it’s sparked disturbing reaction

    The Hollywood duo star in 'A Big Bold Beautiful Journey' together

    Entertainment
  • Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images
    5 hours ago

    Jimmy Kimmel issued lengthy threat after his show is taken off air over Charlie Kirk comments

    The ABC presenter's live show has been suspended 'indefinitely' following his remarks about the right-wing activist's killing

    Entertainment
  • The Office star Jenna Fischer bravely reveals secret cancer diagnosis
  • Angelina Jolie shares heartbreaking cancer advice while reflecting on late mother in emotional comment
  • The Last of Us star Bella Ramsay reveals signs and symptoms of autism they experienced before diagnosis
  • ‘Cash me outside’ star Bhad Bhabie reveals nose job results as she opens up on her cancer diagnosis