Dame Jane Campion remembers Sir Sam Neill with heartfelt reflection on The Piano and last days
Director Dame Jane Campion reflects on her professional and personal relationship with the late actor Sir Sam Neill. She highlights his performance in her 1993 film The Piano and their shared history in New Zealand.
Why it matters
This piece serves as a cultural tribute to a prominent actor, documenting the collaborative history of significant figures in international cinema.
Dame Jane Campion has paid homage to her friend and fellow creative, the late actor Sir Sam Neill, reflecting on their longstanding bond and the “intoxicating experience” of their final moments together.
Wellington-born director Campion first met Neill during pre-production for her 1993 film The Piano , an encounter she recalled as nerve-racking in a piece published by the Guardian .
“My hands actually shook when I met him at a cafe in Vulcan Lane, Auckland, to discuss rehearsals,” Campion said.
“He was to play the repressed and violent Stewart, the one who would chop off his wife’s finger.
“Who but Sam could play that part, could surprise with that part?”
Neill starred as the film’s antagonist, Alisdair Stewart, a colonial settler who enters an arranged marriage with mute Scottish immigrant and pianist Ada McGrath (played by Holly Hunter).
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in