Sam Neill Moved to Tears by Question About His Parents

Sam Neill Moved to Tears by Question About His Parents

Sam Neill Moved to Tears by Question About His Parents

Sam Neill, known for his roles in Jurassic Park and Possession, became unexpectedly emotional during an interview about his parents.

In the premiere episode of the Australian interview series The Assembly, which features autistic journalism students from Sydney’s Macquarie University, a student asked Neill, “What is the best lesson you learned from your parents?”

The 76-year-old actor paused, visibly moved, before responding. “Oh, wow. That’s a really interesting question. That’s a really, really interesting question.” He took a moment to compose himself, acknowledging the emotional impact of the question. “I don’t know why that question has moved me so much, but it has,” Neill said, after a moment of contemplation.

Neill reflected on his parents’ challenging lives. “My parents were of the generation that went through a lot of things,” he shared. “They went through the Depression. My mother lost her father in the First World War, so she grew up without him. They endured a lot, but they were very stoic people.”

Neill then recounted a pivotal moment during his university years. “I attended a year at university, where I didn’t do much,” he recalled with a chuckle. “I was acting in plays and trying to find a girlfriend and all that stuff. When exams approached, I realized I had done almost no work and was very anxious. I got home, and Mum asked, ‘How are you, darling?’ I told her, ‘Oh, Mum, I think I’m having a breakdown! And I’ve got exams in a couple of weeks and I don’t know how I’m going to —’”

Neill remembered his mother’s pragmatic advice: “She just looked at me and said, ‘Well, you’re just going to have to pull yourself together, aren’t you?’ That, I think, was the best lesson I learned from her — sometimes you just have to pull yourself together.”

Neill expressed his gratitude for the question, saying, “It’s a tough list, but it’s a good one. Thanks for that question.”

The episode featuring Neill is part of The Assembly, which will also include interviews with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, musician Delta Goodrem, football star Adam Goodes, and media personality Amanda Keller.

Neill recently starred in the Peacock miniseries Apples Never Fall as tennis coach Stan Delaney. In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Neill described his character as having “the mind of an obsessive coach,” who pushes his children to be their best. “He’s that kind of weird alpha-male thing, which I find pretty strange, personally,” Neill said. “But he’s also vulnerable, full of love, and kind of hilarious in his own way. I found Stan to be very funny. Doesn’t mean to be, but he just is.”

For more from Neill on The Assembly, watch the video above.

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