Peter CravenJul 18, 2026 – 5.00amIt was such a shock when the news came last Monday that Sam Neill was dead. He had apparently beaten the rare blood cancer with which he had been afflicted, but there had been a recent bout of pneumonia with fatal effects.He was 78, but in his recent work – notably as a barrister in the three seasons of the courtroom drama The Twelve – he would have passed for 20 years younger.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
Beating the Macbeth curse, and other life lessons from Sam Neill
At once self-deprecating and self-possessed, Sam Neil was a natural leading man who was proud of all sorts of things.
99 words~1 min read
