Actor Sam Neill has revealed he’s being treated for stage three blood cancer.
The Jurassic Park star wrote about his diagnosis in his memoir Did I Ever Tell You This?
In chapter one of the book, Neill writes: “The thing is, I’m crook. Possibly dying. I may have to speed this up.”
In an interview with the Guardian, he said: “I found myself with nothing to do. And I’m used to working. I love working. I love going to work. I love being with people every day and enjoying human company and friendship and all these things. And suddenly I was deprived of that. And I thought, ‘what am I going to do?’
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“I never had any intention to write a book. But as I went on and kept writing, I realised it was actually sort of giving me a reason to live and I would go to bed thinking, ‘I’ll write about that tomorrow… that will entertain me.’
"And so it was a lifesaver really, because I couldn’t have gone through that with nothing to do, you know.”
Neill told the Guardian he first noticed something was wrong while he was promoting Jurassic World Dominion last year when he began to suffer from swollen glands.
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He was diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma shortly after and began chemotherapy.
However, when that wasn’t successful he was moved onto a new chemotherapy drug, which he will continue to take monthly for the rest of his life.
The 75-year-old star’s memoir is set to be released next week, with Neill telling the Guardian that the book isn't specifically about his cancer but that the illness is a ‘spiral thread’ throughout it.
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Thankfully, Neill is now cancer-free, although he will be on the medication for life.
Speaking to the Guardian, the Kiwi star admitted there had been 'dark moments' since his diagnosis but said he’s ‘pleased to be alive’.
“I can’t pretend that the last year hasn’t had its dark moments,” he said. “But those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief, you know, and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends."
Neill recently shot down any suggestion that he may wish to step back from the limelight. During an interview with The Independent last month, he said: “The idea of giving up my day job? Intolerable!
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“I love acting. It’s really good for me to keep walking onto new sets with young actors and all that stimulation. New words, new ideas, there’s nothing like it. I never want to give that up.”
Glad to hear it, Sam.
Claire Reid