SAM NEILL (Robert MacLean) recently starred in "Event Horizon" and "The Grimm Brothers' Snow White" opposite Sigourney Weaver, as well as in the forthcoming "The Revengers' Comedies," and in the title role in the miniseries "Merlin."
His other recent films include "Children of the Revolution," "In the Mouth of Madness," "Restoration," "Victory," "Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book," "Sirens" and "Country Life." He has co-starred with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum in Steven Spielberg's mega hit, "Jurassic Park," and co-starred in Jane Campion's "The Piano," which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and three Academy Awards(tm).
Born in Northern Ireland but raised in New Zealand, Sam Neill's interest in the performing arts was fostered at the University of Canterbury. On graduating, he spent seven years between acting in theater and directing documentaries for the New Zealand Film Unit.
He made his feature debut in Roger Donaldson's futuristic "Sleeping Dogs." It was, however, his portrayal of Judy Davis' well-mannered suitor, Harry Beacham, in "My Brilliant Career" which first brought him international recognition. He subsequently worked with Davis in the miniseries "One Against the Wind" for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination, and recently reteamed with Davis for a third time on the feature "Children of the Revolution."
Neill has also worked twice opposite Meryl Streep; in Fred Schepisi's "Plenty," and later in "A Cry in the Dark," for which he was honored with the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor. He has subsequently been nominated twice by the Australian Film Institute for "Death in Brunswick" and "The Piano."
Some of his other feature credits include "Dead Calm" opposite Nicole Kidman, John McTiernan's "The Hunt for Red October," Wim Wenders' "Until the End of the World," "Memoirs of an Invisible Man," "Possession" with Isabelle Adjani, "Enigma," "The Good Wife," "The Journalist," "From a Far Country," "The Blood of Others" opposite Jodie Foster, "For Love Alone," "The Country Girls" and "Robbery Under Arms."
On television, he is best known for his role as spy Sidney Reilly in "Reilly Ace of Spies," garnering a Golden Globe Award nomination and Best Actor Award on British Television. He has also starred in the miniseries "Kane and Abel" and "Amerika," and recently in the telefilms "In Cold Blood," and in "Family Pictures," opposite Anjelica Huston. In addition to his acting, Neill has also recently directed and narrated his own documentary "Cinema of Unease The Century of New Zealand Cinema." Neill has also been honored with an O.B.E. for Service to Acting.
