remembering the low-key charm of Sam Neill in fifteen essential films • Journal • A Magazine • , Life in canada

In retrospect, it’s not surprising that Sam Neill screen-tested to replace Roger Moore as James Bond in The Living Daylights. So much of what makes Bond a memorable character is not simply sex appeal but a distinct mixture of charm with a bit of menace. It’s a razor’s edge of winning the audience over, no matter your actions, and yet, Neill noted in his memoir that he was relieved he didn’t get the role. “I felt so awkward all that day that we made that thing,” he said. “It went on and on and on, but I’m so relieved they offered it to someone else. And welcome to it! Because you really don’t want to be the Bond that no one likes.”

It’s tough to imagine a world where Neill was a Bond no one liked. After his passing this week, it’s clear the world loved him regardless of what film he did. Though Neill likely would have made an impressive James Bond, he instead brought his talents to so many other wonderful projects. If anything, there were times, as was the case in the disturbing Possession, that his greatest challenge was in repulsing the viewer, when he innately wrapped us around his finger.

Although Neill could play alluring psychopaths, the actor could also mine incredible warmth from his characters. As entertaining as Jurassic Park is, the heart of the story requires Neill’s turn as a gruff man who discovers his fatherly instincts. That same kind of warmth emerges in the offbeat and lovely Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which also allowed Neill to celebrate his roots in a movie that proudly embraces the uniqueness of his native New Zealand. Perhaps the reason Sam Neill could never be James Bond is that he couldn’t be anyone else’s character, or go where another actor had already been. 

His creativity and choices made him far too memorable to be in anyone’s shadow. He knew when to play a scene quietly rather than go for its showiest moment. He could tap into something human and recognizable even in his darkest characters. Many actors could play awe; Neill had the wherewithal to have Alan Grant’s hands shake and tremble as he removed his sunglasses to see a dinosaur for the first time.

The community celebrates the work of the beloved actor, below—always a standout, no matter the size of the role.