Sam Neill Opens Up About Filming ‘Jurassic World’: ‘We Had A Blast’

Actor Sam Neill is back in the action!

After being absent for the last two films in the “Jurassic World” franchise, Neill is back portraying his character Dr. Alan Grant in the final installment of the “Jurassic World” trilogy: “Jurassic World: Dominion.”

After first portraying the character in 1993’s “Jurassic Park,” Neill sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to talk about what it was like to work with both the old and new cast.

After the interviewer said it’s been 20 years since he was cast in the original film, Neill corrected them to explain that it’s been nearly thirty years since the first film debuted in theaters! Regardless of how long it’s been, Neill really liked getting to play his character again!

“Well, we had a blast,” he said. “I was pleased to do it for a number of reasons.”

“First of all, to be with my old friends Laura [Dern] and Jeff [Goldblum], you know. We were — this was in the middle of the pandemic — we were locked up in a hotel together in somewhat idyllic rural England and everyone all got on really well,” he explained. “The new cast I liked very much; and the established Jurassic World cast, they’re just the nicest people. Bryce [Dallas Howard] and Chris [Pratt] are absolute sweethearts.”

“Because we were so beleaguered by COVID at this point, we felt we were on our own brave enterprise in a way, and that brought us closer together than ever,” he added. “It was really an unforgettable time and I’m very grateful for it.”

“I haven’t seen the finished film yet,” he revealed. “I’m sure it’s a very ambitious, huge story, a lot of characters, a lot of dinosaurs. It’s going to be unquestionably big, so they’ve been holding it back until hopefully cinemas are fully open and all that. It’s something that needs to be seen on a very big screen.”

Fans might not be aware that Neill has a farm and a vineyard in New Zealand where he has his pig, his sheep, and his grapes. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, he hasn’t been able to visit his farm for a while now.

“Our borders in New Zealand begin to open up again at the end of this month, so I should finally be able to get back at the end of March — and I can’t wait,” he explained. “On the other hand, I’m playing a barrister at the moment on a series we’re shooting here in Australia called The Twelve, and I’ve never done a courtroom scene before and I’ve been enjoying every minute of it. So, as always, I’ll be sad to leave all of my new and old friends here, but I’ll be completely thrilled to get back to my pig, my sheep and my grapes.”

Neill credits the work on his farm to help him live life as much as he can. When asked about his secrets of success, he replied, “Well, you know, first you must always ‘maintain a work-life balance,’” he said with a laugh.

“I think the most important key to living well is not taking yourself seriously or indeed your career or anything else particularly seriously,” he explained. “Life is pretty short, and if you’re not doing your best to enjoy it and live it as fully as you can, you’re sort of cheating yourself.”

“And yeah, my sort of farm life and wine-growing life, is separate — but it’s not unconnected to my day job of acting in films and television,” he went on. “One sort of informs the other and one throws the other into relief. When I’m away, I can’t wait to get back to the farm, and after some time at the farm, I can’t wait to get on a plane and start a new adventure with some new people in a new country.”

With some saying that “Jurassic World: Dominion” is the latest installment in the “Jurassic Park” franchise (at least for a long time, anyway), it may be the last time that fans are able to see Sam Neill portray Dr. Alan Grant on-screen.

“Jurassic World: Dominion” hits theaters on June 10. Fans can watch the full trailer below!