Pleased to be alive: Actor Sam Neill on cancer battle
What's the story
Jurassic Park star Sam Neill has opened up about his battle with cancer in his new memoir, leaving his fans in a state of shock.
In Did I Ever Tell You This?, Neill revealed that he was battling stage-three blood cancer.
Moreover, in a recent interview with The Guardian, the actor said he wrote the memoir to keep himself busy while undergoing cancer treatment.
Diagnosis
He was diagnosed while promoting 'Jurassic World: Dominion'
The 75-year-old actor said that it was during the promotions of Jurassic World: Dominion in March 2022 that he was diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.
As per The Guardian's report, he underwent chemotherapy, but that didn't help him.
He later switched to new chemotherapy drugs that he has to take every month for the rest of his life, though he is now cancer free.
The dark phase
'Just pleased to be alive,' says Niell
Neill, who played Dr. Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise, further spoke about his cancer treatment days.
"I can't pretend that the last year hasn't had its dark moments, but those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief...and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends. Just pleased to be alive," he said in the interview.
Positivity
Writing memoir gave him reason to live
While Neill talked at length about the dark phase, he also explained why he chose to write the memoir.
Initially, he did not have any intention of writing, but soon, the memoir gave him a reason to live, giving him an opportunity to share his experience.
"It was a lifesaver really, because I couldn't have gone through that with nothing to do," he said.
Work, so far
On the work front
It was in the year 1979 that Neill began his career in the film industry. In a career spanning over four decades as an actor, he has delivered several memorable performances, including those in the Jurassic Park films, The Piano, and Peaky Blinders.
He was also seen in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Neill will next be seen in the Australian film The Portable Door.