Omagh-born Hollywood star in remission after cancer diagnosis

AN Omagh-born Hollywood actor is feeling “better than ever” after revealing he is in remission from stage three blood cancer.

Sam Neill (74), most famous for roles in Jurassic Park and Peaky Blinders, took to social media at the weekend to say he had been in remission from the disease for around eight months.

The actor wrote, “I am alive and well and I have been in remission for eight months, which feels really good. And I’m alive and kicking and I’m going to work. I’m very happy to be going back to work.”

Neill was born in Omagh in 1947, while his father was stationed in the town whilst serving as an officer in the British army. Although his father was born in New Zealand, his family is Irish with his grandfather moving from Belfast to New Zealand in the late 1800s.

Neill moved back to his father’s native New Zealand in 1954, where he has primarily lived ever since.

This year, the Hollywood star released a book which discusses his life and his recent struggles with his health and journey through treatment for blood cancer.

The autobiography, called ‘Did I Ever Tell You This?’, also discusses some of his early life growing up in Tyrone.

While talking to BBC Radio 2 about how he wrote the book during his cancer treatment, Neill said, “I never had any intention to write a book. But as I went on and kept writing, I realised it was actually sort of giving me a reason to live and I would go to bed thinking, ‘I’ll write about that tomorrow… that will entertain me’.

“And so it was a lifesaver, really, because I couldn’t have gone through that with nothing to do, you know.”