Sam Neill has assured fans that he’s ‘alive and kicking’ after revealing that he has been battling cancer.
You can see his update in the video below:
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Neill, the star of Peaky Blinders and the Jurassic Park movies, revealed that he’s been having health problems recently, suffering with stage three blood cancer.
He made the admission in the first chapter of his book Did I Ever Tell You This? when he said that he is ‘possibly dying’.
Obviously, there was an outpouring of support and good wishes for the New Zealand born actor, but now he’s moved to allay fans’ fears for his health and longevity, telling everyone that he’s in remission and has been for eight months now.
He’s even fixing to go back to work, setting off for Australia to film a limited-series adaptation of a novel called Apples Never Fall.
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Posting a video on his Instagram, Neill said: “Hi I'm Sam Neill, actor of sorts, vintner, and an author as it happens.
“I am alive and well and I have been in remission for eight months, which feels really good.
“And I'm alive and kicking and I'm going to work.
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“I'm very happy to be going back to work.
“We start filming in seven days’ time.
“I'm doing a thing called Apples Never Fall with Annette Bening, and a really wonderful cast.
“So here I am.”
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Explaining the revelations in his book, he continued: “The main thing is that I have written this book, it's called Did I Ever Tell You This? and it does mention cancer because that's the sort of context in which I wrote it.
“But I didn't really mean to write a book, I needed something to do while I was undergoing treatment, and I am used to going to work and I suddenly couldn't go to work.
“So that's why I wrote the book, and I have to say there's been great response to it.
“People seem to love it, which is great.
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“I was very nervous, obviously as a first time author.
“Anyway, I think it's fun."
Neill added: “We sub-titled it 'Movies, Life, Love and Other Catastrophes’ so it gives you an idea of all the crazy things that have happened to me.
“The tone of the book is one of surprise.
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“I never thought that I would have a career as an actor, let alone an actor on screen.
“But that's kind of what happened and I am full of gratitude looking back on this life, and that's what the book is about.
“I hope you enjoy it. I enjoyed reading the audiobook the other day, I hadn't looked at the book for quite a while but I found it more entertaining than I expected."
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“And I would look through the glass window at the audio engineer/producer and he seemed to be cracking up a lot so I take that as a good sign," he said.
“So, I hope you enjoy it, and let's not worry too much about 'all that' because I'm fine. Okay!”
The first chapter of his book states: “The thing is, I’m crook. Possibly dying. I may have to speed this up.”
Hopefully, Neill will be around for a good while yet.
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Apples Never Fall is an adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel of the same name, and it’ll be out on Peacock when Neill and co have finished filming it.
Topics: Film and TV, Celebrity, Instagram, Health, Cancer, Peaky Blinders, Jurassic Park
Tom Wood