Jurassic Park actor Sam Neill issues update on 'grim' cancer treatment after admitting he's 'not afraid of dying'
Sam Neill has given an update on his ongoing cancer treatment, calling it a 'grim' experience.
Last year, the 76-year-old actor revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage-three blood cancer in his memoir Did I Ever Tell You This? and had undergone treatment for the disease.
Neill was originally diagnosed with cancer back in March 2022 during a trip back to New Zealand and has since confirmed that he is currently in remission - but will need regular treatment for the rest of his life.
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The star has now opened up on the gruelling nature of his treatment in an interview with Herald Sun, explaining how it had changed his life.
"It’s just meant that every second week it was a case of forget about the weekend because that would be a bit grim," Neill said of his treatment schedule.
However, he remained optimistic about his life overall, adding: "But other than that, it’s great to be alive and working and in beautiful places, like York."
Neill initially underwent chemotherapy, but was later switched to a rare anti-cancer drug after the initial treatments had stopped working.
Since switching to the new drug he has been in remission and will continue to have bi-weekly infusions for the rest of his life. However, he has been told that the treatment will eventually stop working.
Speaking about the future, Neill previously revealed that he is is 'not afraid of dying'.
"I'm not in any way frightened of dying. That's never worried me from the beginning," he said in a 2023 interview the Australian Story.
"But I would be annoyed. I'd be annoyed because there are things I still want to do. Very irritating, dying. But I'm not afraid of it."
Born in Northern Ireland but raised in New Zealand, Neill is best known for his role as Dr. Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park films. He has also appeared in Peaky Blinders, Peter Rabbit and The Twelve.
Following his cancer diagnosis, Neill decided to sit down and write a memoir during his time off from acting, revealing that the process 'give me a reason to get through the day'.
"I thought I need to do something, and I thought, 'Shall I start writing?'" he told the BBC.
"I didn't think I had a book in me, I just thought I'd write some stories. And I found it increasingly engrossing.
"A year later, not only have I written the book - I didn't have a ghostwriter - but it's come out in record time."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Topics: Cancer, TV and Film, Celebrity
Brenna Cooper