Campion reflects on Neill’s grace in final months
Jane Campion’s tribute to Sam Neill reveals intimate details of their friendship, from their 1993 collaboration to his final days at St Vincent’s Hospital.
Director Jane Campion has published a tribute to actor Sam Neill, reflecting on their professional collaboration and personal friendship in the wake of his death. The piece recalls their initial meeting at a cafe in Vulcan Lane, Auckland, to discuss rehearsals for the 1993 film The Piano, and details Neill’s final interactions while battling cancer at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney.
Campion describes Neill’s performance as the repressed and violent character Stewart, noting the force with which he pulled Holly Hunter’s character into the rain and mud. She recalls realising that Neill already understood the terrifying jealousy required for the role, a performance that surprised her with its intensity despite his kindness and support on set.
Beyond the screen, Campion remembers Neill’s warmth, including an invitation to his Queenstown house with his then-wife Noriko, which sparked her family’s enduring love for New Zealand’s deep south. The two often confided in one another, discussing life stories and even preparing for the end of life, with Neill asking Campion to review the chapter concerning The Piano in his memoir written during his diagnosis.
Earlier in the year, Campion visited Neill at his winery with his partner Heather and friends Griz and Rachel Ward, celebrating what appeared to be a cancer-free status. She was struck by a gentleness and peacefulness that defined him, a quality that intensified during his subsequent hospitalisation where he engaged in conversation and artistic pursuits.
During visits to St Vincent’s Hospital, Neill sketched using a watercolour set Campion brought from the Macquarie Art School shop. They discussed a Split Enz reunion concert that Neill had followed via audio from his bed, sharing a goodbye that Campion notes neither of them realised was their last.
Campion concludes by describing Neill in his final months as radiating peace and beaming love, a figure who seemed to care for nothing but his graceful presence. She thanks him for everything, noting that each visit in those last few months was an intoxicating experience of his quiet dignity.