Sir Nigel John Dermot 'Sam' Neill, KNZM OBE (born 14 September 1947) is an Ireland-born New Zealand actor. His career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one of the most versatile actors of his generation.
He is perhaps best known for his starring role as paleontologist Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III. He has also had a number of high-profile roles including: the lead in Reilly, Ace of Spies, the adult Damien in Omen III: The Final Conflict, Merlin in the miniseries Merlin, Captain Vasily Borodin in The Hunt for Red October, Lord Friedrich Hoffman in Snow White: A Tale of Terror, and Alisdair Stewart in The Piano. He also portayed Cardinal Thomas Wolsey on Showtime's The Tudors.
Known For
Thor: Ragnarok
(2017)
Actor Odin
Jurassic World Dominion
(2022)
Dr. Alan Grant
Thor: Love and Thunder
(2022)
Actor Odin
Escape Plan
(2013)
Dr. Kyrie
Event Horizon
(1997)
Weir
Bicentennial Man
(1999)
Sir
The Hunt for Red October
(1990)
Captain Vasily Borodin
Jurassic Park
(1993)
Grant
Daybreakers
(2010)
Charles Bromley
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
(2021)
Tommy Brock (voice)
The Final Conflict
(1981)
Damien Thorn
Peter Rabbit
(2018)
Mr. McGregor / Tommy Brock (voice)
The Commuter
(2018)
Captain Hawthorne
The Vow
(2012)
Bill Thornton
Possession
(1981)
Mark
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
(2010)
Allomere (voice)
Full Filmography
Acting
The City of No
(1971)
The Water Cycle
(1972)
Hunt's Duffer
(1973)
Bradley
Landfall
(1975)
Eric
Four Shorts on Architecture
(1975)
Narrator (voice)
Ashes
(1975)
Priest
Sleeping Dogs
(1977)
Smith
Architect Athfield
(1977)
Narrator
Surf Sail
(1978)
Narrator (voice)
My Brilliant Career
(1979)
Harry Beecham
Just Out Of Reach
(1979)
Mike
The Journalist
(1979)
Rex
The Final Conflict
(1981)
Damien Thorn
Possession
(1981)
Mark
From a Far Country
(1981)
Marian
Enigma
(1982)
Dimitri Vasilikov
Attack Force Z
(1982)
Sergeant Costello
Ivanhoe
(1982)
Brian de Bois-Guilbert
The Blood of Others
(1984)
Bergman
The Country Girls
(1984)
Mr. Gentleman
Plenty
(1985)
Lazar
Robbery Under Arms
(1985)
Capt. Starlight
For Love Alone
(1986)
James Quick
Strong Medicine
(1986)
Vince Lord
The Good Wife
(1987)
Neville Gifford
Evil Angels
(1988)
Michael Chamberlain
Question of Faith
(1988)
Oscar Ogg
Dead Calm
(1989)
John Ingram
The French Revolution
(1989)
Marquis de Lafayette
The Hunt for Red October
(1990)
Captain Vasily Borodin
Cowboys of Culture
(1990)
Self
Shadow of China
(1990)
TV Reporter
Until the End of the World
(1991)
Eugene Fitzpatrick
Death in Brunswick
(1991)
Carl
One Against the Wind
(1991)
Major James Leggatt, The Guards
Fever
(1991)
Elliot
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
(1992)
David Jenkins
Hostage
(1992)
John Rennie
The Piano
(1993)
Alisdair Stewart
Family Pictures
(1993)
David Eberlin
The Rainbow Warrior
(1993)
Chief Inspector Alan Galbraith
Split Enz: Spellbound
(1993)
Narrator
Jurassic Park
(1993)
Grant
The Jungle Book
(1994)
Colonel Geofferey Brydon
Sirens
(1994)
Norman Lindsay
Country Life
(1994)
Dr. Max Askey
In the Mouth of Madness
(1995)
John Trent
Restoration
(1995)
King Charles II
Cinema of Unease: A Personal Journey by Sam Neill
(1995)
Narrator / Host
The Making of 'Jurassic Park'
(1995)
Self / Alan Grant
Children of the Revolution
(1996)
David 'Dave' Hoyle, aka Agent 'Nine'
Victory
(1996)
Mr. Jones
Event Horizon
(1997)
Weir
Snow White: A Tale of Terror
(1997)
Lord Friedrich Hoffman
The Horse Whisperer
(1998)
Robert MacLean
The Revengers' Comedies
(1998)
Henry Bell
Bicentennial Man
(1999)
Sir
Molokai: The Story of Father Damien
(1999)
Prime Minister Gibson
Forgotten Silver
(2000)
Himself
The Magic Pudding
(2000)
Sam Sawnoff (voice)
My Mother Frank
(2000)
Professor Mortlock
Sally Hemings: An American Scandal
(2000)
Thomas Jefferson
The Dish
(2000)
Cliff Buxton - Dish Master
Numero Bruno
(2000)
Self
Jurassic Park III
(2001)
Dr. Alan Grant
Submerged
(2001)
Lt. Cmdr. Charles B. 'Swede' Momsen
The Zookeeper
(2001)
Ludovic
SuperCroc
(2001)
narrator
The Making Of 'Jurassic Park III'
(2001)
Self
Dirty Deeds
(2002)
Ray
Framed
(2002)
Eddie Meyers
Perfect Strangers
(2003)
Man
Wimbledon
(2004)
Dennis Bradbury
Stiff
(2004)
Lionel Merricks
Jessica
(2004)
Richard Runche
The Making of Sleeping Dogs
(2004)
Self
Yes
(2005)
Anthony
Little Fish
(2005)
The Jockey
Gallipoli
(2005)
Narrator
New Zild - The Story of New Zealand English
(2005)
Self
Irresistible
(2006)
Craig
Voyage of the Nautilus
(2006)
Hubert Wilkins
The Making of 'Event Horizon'
(2006)
Self
Working with a Master: John Carpenter
(2006)
Self
Angel
(2007)
Théo
The Pixar Story
(2007)
Alan Grant (archive footage)
Skin
(2008)
Abraham Laing
Dean Spanley
(2008)
Dean Spanley
Under the Mountain
(2009)
Mr. Jones
In Her Skin
(2009)
Mr. Reid
Iron Road
(2009)
Alfred Nichol
The Man in the Hat
(2009)
Reader of Correspondence
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
(2010)
Allomere (voice)
Daybreakers
(2010)
Charles Bromley
The Making of Daybreakers
(2010)
Self
The Hunter
(2011)
Jack Mindy
Return to Jurassic Park
(2011)
Self
The Dragon Pearl
(2011)
Chris Chase
Ice
(2011)
Anthony Kavanagh
The Vow
(2012)
Bill Thornton
Escape Plan
(2013)
Dr. Kyrie
The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box
(2013)
Otto Luger
River Deep, Mountain High: James Nesbitt in New Zealand
(2013)
Self
United Passions
(2014)
Joao Havelange
A Long Way Down
(2014)
Chris Crichton
Backtrack
(2015)
Duncan Stewart
The Daughter
(2015)
Walter
Why Anzac with Sam Neill
(2015)
Self
MindGamers
(2015)
Kreutz
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
(2016)
Hec Faulkner
New Zealand: Earth's Mythical Islands
(2016)
Narrator (voice)
Tommy's Honour
(2017)
Alexander Boothby
Thor: Ragnarok
(2017)
Actor Odin
David Stratton: A Cinematic Life
(2017)
Self
The Commuter
(2018)
Captain Hawthorne
Sweet Country
(2018)
Fred Smith
Peter Rabbit
(2018)
Mr. McGregor / Tommy Brock (voice)
Ride Like a Girl
(2019)
Paddy Payne
Blackbird
(2019)
Tom
The Show Must Go On
(2019)
Self
Palm Beach
(2019)
Leo
Rams
(2020)
Colin
Sea Lions: Life By a Whisker
(2020)
Narrator (voice)
Lindy Chamberlain: The True Story
(2020)
Narrator (voice)
Daisy Quokka: World's Scariest Animal
(2021)
Frankie Scales (voice)
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
(2021)
Tommy Brock (voice)
Jurassic World Dominion
(2022)
Dr. Alan Grant
Voice Activated
(2022)
Audiobook Narrator (voice)
Jurassic Greatest Moments: Jurassic Park to Jurassic World
(2022)
Self
Thor: Love and Thunder
(2022)
Actor Odin
The Portable Door
(2023)
Dennis Tanner
Assassin Club
(2023)
Caldwell
Scarygirl
(2023)
Dr. Maybee (voice)
Bring Him to Me
(2023)
Frank
Editing
Directing
Phone
(1974)
Director
Four Shorts on Architecture
(1975)
Director
Architect Athfield
(1977)
Director
Flare - A Ski Trip
(1977)
Director
Surf Sail
(1978)
Director
New Country - New People
(1978)
Director
On the Road with Red Mole
(1979)
Director
Cinema of Unease: A Personal Journey by Sam Neill
(1995)
Director
The Brush-Off
(2004)
Director
Writing
Phone
(1974)
Writer
Four Shorts on Architecture
(1975)
Writer
On the Road with Red Mole
(1979)
Writer
Cinema of Unease: A Personal Journey by Sam Neill
(1995)
Writer
Production