Pictures: John Tsiavis
If life had taken a different turn, it might well have been Sam Neill KC, rather than Sir Sam Neill, international acting legend.
The 76-year-old star once imagined himself grandstanding in a courtroom and even studied a year of law at the University of Canterbury.
“I’m a frustrated barrister – I would have quite enjoyed the performative aspect,” explains Sam. “I’m quite good on my feet.”
Fortunately, he gets to act out those dreams on the small screen. He says slipping back into the role of top defence lawyer Brett Colby for the second season of acclaimed legal drama The Twelve is like putting on a comfortable pair of shoes.
“I’m completely fond of this character – he’s complex but a lot of fun to play,” says Sam.
The second season again revolves around a jury and a controversial murder trial. This time, it’s in the rural Western Australian township of Tunkwell. Landowner Bernice Price is found dead at the bottom of her well, with her daughter and her daughter’s ex among the suspects. Brett represents the ex-lover, while Meredith Nelson-Moore, played by Mansfield Park actress Frances O’Connor, defends Bernice’s daughter.
It turns out Brett and Meredith have more in common than just the trial – and the pair’s illicit affair adds another layer of complexity.
Sam’s looking relaxed as he chats over Zoom and says he was thrilled that a second season got the green light. He confidently declares the intriguing twists and turns mean it’s an even better series than the acclaimed debut.
He also feels delighted to reunite with Frances. The pair worked together on 2011 film The Hunter alongside Hollywood heavyweight Willem Dafoe.
“I got to know her a lot better on this,” tells Sam. “She’s such a sweetheart and is really fun to work with. We have a really complicated relationship in the show. Colby’s an old rogue, really.”
One thing Sam says he doesn’t share with his on-screen alter ego is his voracious appetite for victory. The actor isn’t remotely competitive – in fact, he disapproves of board games and thinks Monopoly should be banned.
“It teaches that to be winning in life is about acquiring property and charging exorbitant rents – that’s terrible,” explains Sam.
Season one of The Twelve won many awards and Sam even took home Australia’s coveted Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor.
He still feels flummoxed that he won a popular vote.
“I hadn’t prepared a thing to say, but I was very pleased to get it,” says Sam. He showed what a pro he is by coming up with an acceptance speech on the spot.
“Look, I might have had one too many drinks. I would have done better with a little more forethought and a little less drinking! Actually, I think that’s good advice for life.”
Speaking of drinking, Sam recently shared on Instagram his frustrations at “infuriating corks” as the stopper crumbled in a rather expensive bottle of wine.
He laughs as he admits it’s just one in a long list of recent domestic problems – including his washing machine playing up. Yes, he does his own washing – a fact that baffled his US screen agent.
The actor recalls, “He said, ‘You’re Sam f**kin’ Neill! You shouldn’t be doing your own laundry.’ But it’s one thing I quite like doing because I’m reasonably competent at it.”
Despite his devastating 2022 cancer diagnosis, Sam says the thought of retiring “fills me with horror”. He filmed the drama Apples Never Fall in Queensland last year while receiving treatment for stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s blood cancer.
Working with co-star Annette Bening was a drawcard and Sam admits, “I just worship her.” And Annette, 65, returned the compliment, saying Sam “helped anchor us all”.
She added, “He just has something, an inner life I guess, that immediately shows up on the screen in that look of his. But off camera, he couldn’t be a more fun guy.”
While it was a challenge to play a troubled soul in Apples Never Fall, Sam found it harder nailing his character Stan’s tennis prowess.
“There was a bit of an education there,” he tells. “I’ve played, but not at Stan’s level. Stan is an alpha male, which is decidedly not me!”
The Twelve season two starts Wednesday on TVNZ+.
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