Sam Neill, best known for playing Alan Grant in the “Jurassic Park” franchise, revealed in March that he was being treated for stage-three blood cancer. In a new interview with Australia Story, the actor disclosed that he’s been in remission for 12 months thanks to the help of a rare anti-cancer drug that requires infusions every two weeks. The only issue is that this anti-cancer drug will stop working, Neill revealed doctors informed him.
“I know I’ve got it, but I’m not really interested in it,” Neill told the publication about his blood cancer. “It’s out of my control. If you can’t control it, don’t get into it.”
Neill originally underwent chemotherapy for three months, but the treatment was unsuccessful. That’s when Neill’s doctor switched him to a rare anti-cancer drug. Neill said that his body’s reaction to the biweekly infusions is “very grim and depressing… but it’s keeping me alive.” As for the doctor’s news that this treatment won’t work forever, Neill added, “I’m prepared for that.” The actor said he’s “not remotely afraid” of dying, but the thought of retiring from acting “fills me with horror.”
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Dr. Orly Lavee, the actor’s haematologist, told Australia Story that “we may need to think about a third line option” once Neill’s current treatment stops working. “That’s a difficult thing to carry around, day in, day out, waiting for that to happen.”
Neill first revealed his cancer diagnosis in a March interview with the Guardian. The actor shared that he experienced swollen glands during publicity for “Jurassic World Dominion” in 2022 and was soon diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.
“I’m not afraid to die, but it would annoy me,” Neill said in the interview. “Because I’d really like another decade or two, you know? We’ve built all these lovely terraces, we’ve got these olive trees and cypresses. I want to be around to see it all mature. And I’ve got my lovely little grandchildren. I want to see them get big. But as for the dying? I couldn’t care less.”
Neill reprised his role of Alan Grant in “Jurassic World Dominion,” which grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office last year. The actor was joined by original “Jurassic World” co-stars Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum in the movie.
