'Jurassic Park' Star Sam Neill Claims He's Not 'Afraid' Of Death In Sad Cancer Update

Sam Neill, who's battling stage-three non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer, has opened up about his lack of fear regarding death, after a failed chemotherapy treatment. 

The 'Jurassic Park' star mentioned the possibility of dying in his memoir but wrote it as a distraction. Writing became a lifeline, offering him a sense of purpose.

Despite his health challenges, Neill is determined not to retire, finding joy in being in front of the camera and working with other actors on new projects.

In an interview with Australian Story amid his battle with stage-three non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer, Sam Neill expressed a lack of fear regarding death but a sense of annoyance instead.

While discussing his recent chemotherapy failure, the "Jurassic Park" star stated, "I'm not in any way frightened of dying. That doesn't worry me. It's never worried me from the beginning, but I would be annoyed."

However, Neill admitted, per Daily Mail, that although he is not afraid of dying, he would "really like another decade or two." He elaborated on his desire for more time, adding: "We've built all these lovely terraces, we've got these olive trees and cypresses, and I want to be around to see it all mature. And I've got my lovely little grandchildren. I want to see them get big."

Neil has been in remission for a year, crediting anti-cancer drugs, but acknowledges the potential future challenges of the disease and shared that he is "prepared" for when the drugs will stop working. "I know I've got it, but I'm not really interested in it. It's out of my control. If you can't control it, don't get into it," he said

In his memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This, Neill first revealed his battle with the illness, referring to himself as "possibly dying" in the first chapter.

In an interview with BBC, Neill shared that he took up writing his memoir as a means of distraction to "get through the day." This autobiographical work reflects upon his impressive 50-year career in the entertainment industry and his sudden health ordeal.

Neill revealed his writing journey was triggered by the discovery of lumpy glands on his neck while promoting the film "Jurassic World Dominion" during a publicity tour. Upon receiving his diagnosis, the actor remained composed and saw this as an opportunity to chronicle his life.

"I thought I need to do something, and I thought, 'Shall I start writing?'" he said.

The "Invasion" actor told the outlet he didn't expect to write a full-fledged book, stating: "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," he said proudly.

Neill also revealed that writing became a lifeline for him, explaining, "As I went on and kept writing, I realized it was actually sort of giving me a reason to live, and I would go to bed thinking, 'I'll write about that tomorrow… that will entertain me.;" He added: "And so it was a lifesaver really because I couldn't have gone through that with nothing to do, you know."

During an interview with The Guardian, the "Peaky Blinders" actor shared his frustration at being unable to work due to his condition, saying, "I'm crook. I may have to speed this up."

He expressed his love for work and the camaraderie it brings, adding: "I love working. I love going to work. I love being with people every day and enjoying human company and friendship and all these things. And suddenly, I was deprived of that. And I thought, 'What am I going to do?'"

However, even in the face of his health challenges, Neill is resolute about not retiring. He continues to derive pleasure from his work in front of the camera and cherishes the collaborative aspect of acting alongside other performers.

Currently, the 76-year-old is actively involved in the filming of an adaptation of Liane Moriarty's Apples Never Fall on the Gold Coast. He also has upcoming appearances in the second series of the mini-series "The Twelve," which is being filmed in Western Australia.

In another conversation with ABC, Neill reflected on his illustrious career and expressed deep gratitude, stating, "I can't tell you how privileged I am to spend that amount of time with so many actors, so many of whom I've really enjoyed and so many of whom I've really admired."