Sam Neill spent more than five decades working in film and television, but the Jurassic Park star kept much of his family life outside the public eye.
Neill, who died July 13 at age 78, was the father of four children: sons Andrew and Tim and daughters Maiko and Elena. He also had eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
The actor once described his family as “slightly unusual.” His eldest son was placed for adoption when Neill was in his early 20s, and the two reconnected after 25 years apart. Decades later, Neill adopted his second wife’s daughter and welcomed another daughter.
His children and grandchildren also helped inspire his 2023 memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?. Neill began recording his memories while undergoing treatment for blood cancer because he wanted his family to have his account of the people, films and experiences that had shaped his life.
Neill Reunited With His Eldest Son After 25 Years
Father and son had no contact for the next 25 years before eventually searching for each other. “These reunions are portrayed as sentimental and grisly, but there is nothing sentimental about it,” Neill told People, recalling their first meeting. “No one sobs in anyone’s arms; it’s much more grown-up.”
A family history published by Neill’s Two Paddocks winery says he met Andrew in 1994 and that his son subsequently became part of the extended family. Neill disclosed few other details about Andrew’s upbringing or adult life.
Tim Said Neill Was a ‘Very Good Dad’ Despite His Absences
Neill later welcomed son Tim with New Zealand actor Lisa Harrow, whom he met while working on Omen III: The Final Conflict. Tim grew up with two parents in the film industry and later worked behind the camera as a visual-effects artist.
During an Australian Story profile, Neill acknowledged that location work had taken him away from his family for long stretches. He described his parenting as “somewhat haphazard” and said much of it had been “marked by absence.”
Tim rejected the suggestion that those absences defined his father. “There are worse things a dad can do than be off working,” he said. “He is a good dad. He’s a very good dad.”
Neill Adopted Maiko After Marrying Noriko Watanabe
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Neill met Japanese makeup artist Noriko Watanabe while they were working on the thriller Dead Calm. They married in 1989 and remained together until their separation in 2017.
After the marriage, Neill adopted Maiko Spencer, Watanabe’s daughter from an earlier relationship. He consistently included Maiko when speaking about his four children. In November 2021, Neill shared a rare family photograph after Maiko welcomed a son named Nahlo.
Elena Briefly Acted Before Becoming a Tattoo Artist
Neill and Watanabe welcomed daughter Elena in 1991. She made a small number of screen appearances, including the 2004 television movie The Brush-Off and a role as a tattooist in Jane Campion’s series Top of the Lake.
The latter credit reflected Elena’s work away from television. Neill said his daughter had established herself as a tattoo artist based in Melbourne, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Elena also became a parent, adding to the growing group of grandchildren Neill occasionally discussed without revealing many identifying details. He called being a grandfather “about the best thing there is” in a 2021 Instagram post.
His Family Inspired Him to Write His Memoir
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Neill began writing Did I Ever Tell You This? after being diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma in 2022. Treatment left him unable to work, and writing gave him a reason to structure each day while he considered the possibility that he might not survive.
“I thought, yeah, I should probably write something down for my children, my grandchildren, because I may not be here in a couple of months,” he told Australian Story. “It would be good for them to have a sense of me.” Neill later said he did not fear death but would have been frustrated to miss seeing his grandchildren grow older. He announced in April 2026 that CAR-T therapy had left him cancer-free.
His family announced that he died unexpectedly in Sydney while surrounded by loved ones. His agent, Philip Grenz, later confirmed to the Associated Press that pneumonia caused his death and emphasized that Neill had beaten lymphoma before becoming ill.