Nigel John Dermot Neill was born on the 14th September 1947, in Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, UK, and is now a New Zealand actor, probably best recognized for starring in the role of Michael Chamberlain in “Evil Angels (A Cry In The Dark)” (1988), playing Dr. Alan Grant in “Jurassic Park” (1993), and as Jeremiah Blackthorn in the TV series “Crusoe” (2008-2010). His career has been active since 1975.
So, have you ever wondered how rich Sam Neill is, as of early 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that the total size of Sam’s net worth is over $18 million, accumulated through his successful involvement in the entertainment industry as a professional actor.
Sam Neill Net Worth $18 Million
Sam Neill was raised with his brother by his father, Dermot Neill, who was a British Army officer, and his mother, Priscilla Beatrice. He was born in Northern Ireland, as his father was stationed there, but in 1954 the family returned to New Zealand, where they owned one of the largest retailers called Neill and Co. There, he was educated at Anglican boys’ boarding school Christ’s College in Christchurch, after which he enrolled at the University of Canterbury, before he transferred to Victoria University in Wellington, from which he graduated with a BA degree in English Literature. Right after graduation, he began to perform with the New Zealand Players and other theater groups.
In no time, Sam’s career began, when he worked for six years as a film director and screenwriter at the New Zealand National Film Unit. Afterwards, he wanted to try himself as an actor, so making his debut appearance as a priest in the 1975 film “Ashes”, which was followed by a role in “Landfall” in the same year. Two years later, he won the lead role in the film “Sleeping Dogs”, and in 1979 starred alongside Judy Davis in the romantic comedy “My Brilliant Career”, which added a considerable amount to his net worth.
At the beginning of the next decade, Sam earned his first big international role, portraying Damien Thorn in the 1981 film “Omen III: The Final Conflict”, directed by Graham Baker, after which he landed the role of Mark in Andrzej Zulawski’s film “Possession” (1981). In 1983, Sam was selected to play in the TV series “Reilly: Ace Of Spies”, and later in another TV series called “America” (1987), both successes. In the following year, he starred as Michael Chamberlain in the film “Evil Angels (A Cry In The Dark)”, which earned him the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. In the 1989 film “La Révolution française”, Sam appeared as Marquis de Lafayette; all of these roles increased his net worth by a large margin.
Sam’s first role in the 1990s was in the film “The Hunt For Red October” (1990), in which he starred as Captain Vasily Borodin, then in 1993 he was chosen to portray Dr. Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s film “Jurassic Park”, which he reprised in a sequel “Jurassic Park III” in 2001. Moreover, he played the title role in the mini-series “Merlin” (1998), which he also reprised, in the mini-series “Merlin’s Apprentice” (2006).
To speak further about his acting career, Sam also starred in the role of Richard Runche in the TV series “Jessica” (2004), for which he won the Logie Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series, played Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in the TV series “The Tudors” (2007), and as Jack Mindy in the 2011 film “The Hunter”, for which he was nominated for an AACTA Award. Most recently, he was cast as Bill Thornton in the film “The Vow” (2012), portrayed Ted McCabe in the TV series “Old School” (2014), and as Lord Carnarvon in the mini-series “Tutankhamun” in 2016. His net worth is certainly still rising.
Thanks to his accomplishments in the film industry, Sam was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1991, and he also has the New Zealand Order of Merit. In 2002, he was made an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Canterbury.
Regarding his personal life, Sam Neill has been married to make-up artist Noriko Watanabe since 1989; the couple has a daughter. Previously, he was married to actress Lisa Harrow (1978-1989), with whom he has a son. Although he has homes in Sydney, Australia, and in Wellington, New Zealand, his current residence is in Queenstown, New Zealand, where he owns the winery Two Paddocks.
