‘You thought he would always be there, like the Southern Alps’: Memories of Sam Neill

The useful part

A giant of the pictures, paddocks (two) and protest, Sir Sam Neill has died at 78. Friends and colleagues share their memories of an extraordinary New Zealander. For a special episode of At Large with Toby Manhire, we invited many who have worked and played with the mighty Sam Neill to share their memories.

How it works

• He's worked everywhere and has made friends with everyone he's worked with.
• I don't think I've been in a piece of theatre, film, TV, or at an event involving the arts, where there hasn't been someone who's had a connection with Sam in some way.
• We became pals in the early 2000s when I asked him for some advice, and we had lunch, and then we've just stayed in touch ever since.
• Some of the advice that Sam gave me is the sort of advice that you just want to chuck on your fridge and look at regularly.

What to take from it

He is so naughty, so funny, so charming, and he only takes seriously the things that really need to be taken seriously, like the politics in New Zealand, in particular what's goin...

Details worth keeping

Robyn Malcolm I'm sitting here in my hotel room in Munich, just thinking about Sam, having heard the news a few hours ago, and it's just occurred to me that there's about four or five people on this film set who all have a connection to Sam. I think that defines Sam more than anything else.