Updated April 21, 2008
AUSTRALIA DAY BALL
HONORING SAM NEILL
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Sam Neill In Fourth MLA Meat Ad
WSN Staff April 21, 2008  
Download Sam's Fourth Mead Ad (3378kb) Television viewers in Australia have been treated to Sam's fourth and reportedly final ad for Meat And Livestock Australia. Again, Sam's fans are treated to the Sam Dance at the end. WSN offers the ad to Sam's fans in mpg form to download and save to your computer! MLA's first three ads featuring Sam Neill are available on this page! Ads Evolution and Library Ad Instinct Vist MLA's The Main Meal web page.  Glamour and Gossip www.scene.co.nz November 8, 2007 CELEBRATED local actor Sam Neill holds his long-awaited 60th birthday bash at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art on Saturday in conjunction with Aussie thespian buddy Bryan Brown. Among locals winging over are Robyn and Dick Fraser, Cath and Matt Hanna, Nicky Martin and Jeff Williams, and Nicky and Roger Tompkins. I’m not so certain his old nemesis Warren Cooper received an invitation. Showtime's $38M Gamble on 'The Tudors' 29 March, 2007 http://www.localnewsleader.com By Shawn Pogatchnik, Associated Press Writer Set against such youthful exuberance is the 59-year-old Neill, who spends much of "The Tudors" telling the king how to play his cards — but ends up losing everything because he can‘t persuade the pope to annul Henry‘s marriage to Catherine. Showtime didn‘t provide advance copies of the final four episodes, but everyone on-set concedes it ends with Wolsey‘s humiliating removal as chief government minister in 1529 — and England on the precipice of Reformation. Henry‘s marriage to Boleyn is still four years off, at least according to the history books. No such luck for Neill. "Everybody else is coming back presumably to do the second series, touch wood," Neill said in his trademark delivery, equal parts dry and wry. "But I won‘t be back because I‘m dead." Sam Neill www.abc.net.au Saturday, 20 January 2007 
Sam and Warren both try and pinpoint the exact location of Dunliven on the map (they're both wrong...) Presenter: Warren Brown Australia's favourite New Zealander Sam Neill popped in to check the progress of Warren's newly-planted vines. Sam's own experience as a vigneron of note didn't quite prepare him for the unusual bouquet of Dunliven's own Run Of The Mill chardonnay, lovingly crafted from privet. More on Sam's own - decidedly superior - oenological efforts can be found here. [Two Paddocks site] A most generous and entertaining guest, and a great interview...enjoy! 
WSN Staff: Click the pic to hear Sam as interviewed by Warren! Photos Of Sam Neill In Angel www.francois-ozon.com/english/index.html February 17, 2007 
Thanks for finding these, Shy Fan! View the Trailer and Photo Gallery at the  Official Angel Website. View the French Official Angel Website. Sam Neill In Hong Kong To Promote His TP Wine AP via Yahoo! News Jan 30, 2007 
 
New Zealand's film star Sam Neill smiles during a news conference in Hong Kong Tuesday, Jan 30, 2007. Neill, one of New Zealand's most famous exports, has exported a bit of New Zealand to Hong Kong by launching a wine line under his Two Paddocks brand in Hong Kong. Neill signed bottles of wine for customers and posed for pictures at a downtown organic food store that will carry four Two Paddocks wines exclusively — a Sauvignon Blanc, a Riesling and a Merlot, all from 2003, and a 2004 Pinot Noir. (AP Photo/Lo Sai Hung) The Tudors Official Site WSN Staff January 24, 2007 
The Tudors, Showtime's ambitious 10-part series which stars Sam Neill as Cardinal Wolsey, will air the first episode on April 1, 2007. While the series' emphasis will be on Henry VIII, played by Irish actor Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Sam's role as the pivotal Cardinal Wolsey may provide his fans with AES (Almost Enough Sam). View the trailer and more at The Tudors Official Site. Sam Neill Presents At 2006 AFI Awards WSN Staff December 8, 2006 
 
www.showbizireland.com September 18, 2006  Guests on Pat Kenny's popular Late Late Show included R&B singer Lemar and New Zealand actor Sam Neill. Sam, who is originally from Tyrone, turned up on The Afternoon Show earlier in the day with a few bottles of his own wine called Two Paddocks and impressed presenters Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh & Sheana Keane with his homegrown tipple... Mini-series Shot In CT Win An Emmy http://www.screenafrica.com 24 Aug 2006 "The Triangle" mini-series shot in CT last year for the SciFi channel in the States has won the 58th Annual Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visuals Effects for a miniseries, movie or special. The Triangle premiered last December on SciFi channel in the US to rave reviews (4.3 million people tuned in to watch the series which is the best ratings for the channel since 2003). Among the local SA cast who appear in the mini-series are Marius Weyers, Adrienne Pierce, Hakeem Kae-Kazim and Sean Cameron Michael. International cast includes Eric Stoltz, Sam Neill, Bruce Davison and Lou Diamond Phillips. The budget:$22 million; Directed by Craig R Baxley and produced by Bryan Singer (Superman Returns, X-Men 1&2) and Dean Devlin (Independence Day). CATE BLANCHETT AND SAM NEILL STEP OUT FOR LONDON PREMIERE www.hellomagazine.com 17 JULY 2006
The flick might be called Little Fish but it stars some of the biggest swimmers from the Hollywood talent pool, two of whom - Cate Blanchett and Northern Ireland-born thespSam Neill - attended the London premiere of the new thriller. Mum-of-two Cate, plays troubled Tracey Heart in the movie which is set in the Little Saigon district outside Sydney. As she tries to escape her past she becomes entangled with an underworld crime-boss played by Jurassic Park actor Sam. Despite their on-screen wrangles Cate and Sam seem to get on famously, perhaps owing to their shared southern-hemisphere connections. The 37-year-old beauty is a native of Melbourne while Sam was brought up in New Zealand from the age of seven. Their co-star, New Zealander Martin Henderson, who appears as Cate's brother Ray, completed the film's antipodean line-up. The three appropriately celebrated the flick's premiere party at Australia House after the Curzon Soho cinema screening. Natural Born Killers star Juliette Lewis also dropped by to show her support at the low-key gathering. She is currently treading the boards in her first West End play, Sam Shephard's Fool For Love. Little Fish hits UK cinemas on July 21. Murphy and Press Have Telepathy Source: Production Weekly May 22, 2006 Cillian Murphy (Red Eye, Batman Begins) and Natalie Press will star in the sci-fi feature Telepathy, to be directed by Lesley Manning from a script by Stephen Volk. According to Production Weekly, the film tells the story of Josef and Viktor Zalenski, estranged identical twin brothers who are chosen by the Russian government as the subjects of a top-secret experiment to test the powers of telepathy as a viable form of communication between earth and outer spcae. Miranda Richardson and Sam Neill are also starring in the film, which begins shooting in October. Another Meaty Role For Sam 11 March, 2006 www.theadvertiser.news.com/au Watch The Ads! Sam's Meat Ad 1 (3,168kb) 3/11/06 Sam's Meat Ad 2 (2,032kb) 3/29/06 
Sam Neill to play the leading role in an ad campaign to promote red meat. ACTOR Sam Neill is the face of a new advertising campaign for Meat and Livestock Australia. A 60-second television commercial, in which the star of Jurassic Park and The Piano shows viewers red meat's role in human development, will screen for the first time tomorrow. Meat and Livestock Australia's general manager of marketing, David Thomason, said the aim was to encourage people to eat red meat as part of a nutritious diet. "The theme of the campaign looks at how evolution took a giant leap forward two million years ago when man started to eat red meat. If he hadn't, where would we be now?" Mr Thomason said. [Ads courtesy Meat and Livestock Australia] MERLIN'S APPRENTICE OFFICIAL SITE Set to air September 2, 2006 Hallmark Channel Updated April 9, 2006* WSN Staff 
RHI Entertainment (formerly Hallmark Entertainment) has released its official site for the much-anticipated Merlin's Apprentice: The Search for the Holy Grail. Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson reprise their roles in this sequel to Merlin, the acclaimed 1998 miniseries. The new adventures of Merlin take place 50 years after the end of King Arthur's Camelot and involve a search for the Holy Grail. The RHI site has a movie synopsis as well as a multitude of pictures. It appears there will be Plenty of Sam to satisfy the true Sam devotees out there! The Hallmark Channel will air the miniseries on September 2, 2006.* Click the link below to enter the world of Merlin: http://www.rhifilms.com/property.php?propertyId=Merlin2Sorcerers Inside Film Little Fish equals AFI nominations record 24/10/2005 4:39:06 PM – Press 
Sam Neill and Hugo Weaving Little Fish, directed by AFI award winner Rowan Woods and starring Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Noni Hazlehurst, Martin Henderson and Sam Neill has dominated this year’s awards season by receiving 13 AFI nominations (which equals the highest number of nominations ever received by a single film), 11 nominations from the Film Critics Circle of Australia and 8 Lexus IF Award nominations. In only its seventh week of release, Little Fish has grossed $2,780,790 so far at the box office, already making it the highest grossing Australian film since Strange Bedfellows in 2004. Following the very successful run in Australia, Little Fish will open in New Zealand cinemas on December 1st. Producer of Little Fish, Vincent Sheehan said: 'We are very honoured by the number of nominations Little Fish has received. The fact that the box office has been so strong and is still holding shows that the story is connecting with Australian audiences and as filmmakers that is what you most hope for.' The 47th Australian Film Institute Awards will take place on November 25 and 26, 2005. Little Fish received the following nominations: Best Film – Producers Vincent Sheehan, Liz Watts & Richard Keddie Best Lead Actor - Hugo Weaving Best Lead Actress - Cate Blanchett Best Direction - Rowan Woods Best Original Screenplay Jacquelin Perske Best Supporting Actress Noni Hazlehurst Best Supporting Actor - Martin Henderson For Best Editing - Alexandre De Franceschi Ase, John Scott Ase Best Original Music Score - Nathan Larson Best Production Design - Luigi Pittorino Best Costume Design - Melinda Doring Best Sound - Sam Petty, Peter Grace Best Cinematography - Danny Ruhlmann Acs The 15th annual Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards will be held in Melbourne this year for the first time on Saturday November 12, 2005. Little Fish nominations include: Best Film – Producers Vincent Sheehan, Liz Watts & Richard Keddie Best Director – Rowan Woods, Best Actress In A Lead Role - Cate Blanchett, Best Actress In A Supporting Role - Noni Hazlehurst, Best Actor In A Supporting Role - Martin Henderson, Sam Neill and Hugo Weaving, Best Original Screenplay - Jacquelin Perske Best Cinematography - Danny Ruhlmann, Best Composer - Nathan Larson Best Editor - Alexander De Franceschi & John Scott The Lexus IF Awards will be held at Sydney’s Luna Park on November 23. Little Fish was nominated for the following Awards: Best Feature Film – Producers Vincent Sheehan, Liz Watts & Richard Keddie Best Actress - Cate Blanchett Best Actor – Hugo Weaving, Best Direction - Rowan Woods Best Script - Jacquelin Perske Best Editing – Alexandre de Franceschi and John Scott Best Sound – Sam Petty Best Music – Nathan Larson |
Toa Fraser Begins New Film In Britain
www.stuff.co.nz Friday, 2 November 2007 New Zealand director Toa Fraser and a high-profile cast begin work in Britain this month on a movie being jointly funded by and filmed in the two countries. The film, Dean Spanley, is set in Edwardian England "where men from the colonies are not entirely to be trusted". Promoters said the film "reveals just how deep the Englishman's love for his dog can go", and stars veteran New Zealand actor Sam Neill in the title role. Britain's Peter O'Toole and Jeremy Northam play father and son, and Australian actor Bryan Brown is the man from the colonies. The New Zealand Film Commission and the Film Fund announced yesterday they were investing in the film with three British investors. Dean Spanley will be the second feature film for Fraser, whose first, No 2, was sold to more than 20 countries. No 2 won the audience prize at last year's Sundance Film Festival. The film, due to be finished in the middle of next year, will also be produced locally – by Aucklander Matthew Metcalfe and New Zealanders will fill key production roles. The film has been written by Scottish-born New Zealand resident Alan Sharp, whose credits include 1995 British feature Rob Roy. Sam Neill Joins Daybreakers Cast www.screendaily.com Jeremy Kay in Cannes 22 May 2007 04:15 Sam Neill has joined Ethan Hawke on the cast of Lionsgate's upcoming vampire thriller Daybreakers, which is set to begin filming in Australia in July. The story takes place in 2017 as of a clandestine group of vampires discovers the key to saving the human race from a plague. Peter and Michael Spierig wrote and will direct the film. New Zealand's Weta Workshop will create the effects on the project, which The Film Finance Corporation Australia is co-financing with Queensland's The Pacific Film & Television Commission. Chris Brown of Australian-based Pictures In Paradise is producing with Sean Furst and Bryan Furst. Lionsgate's president of acquisitions and co-productions Peter Block and senior vice president of acquisitions and co-productions Jason Constantine will oversee the production. "Sam Neill is an outstanding actor who brings gravitas to all his roles and we are delighted he is joining Ethan Hawke for this exceptional and visionary project," Stephanie Denton, president of Lionsgate international, said. Sam Neill is represented by Martha Luttrell of ICM USA and Ann Churchill-Brown of Shanahan Management Australia. O'Toole, Neill Board 'Iron Road' www.variety.com By Archie Thomals Apr. 13, 2007 London— Peter O'Toole and Sam Neill will star in "Iron Road," an $18 million budgeted television miniseries about the building of the North American transcontinental railroad. The romantic action-adventure sees a poor Chinese girl working on the railroads become romantically entwined with the son of a Yankie railroad tycoon. "Iron Road" is produced by Mainland Productions and Iron Road Productions, in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and with the participation of the COGECO Program Development Fund. Further coin came from Shaw Rocket Fund and the Canadian Television Fund. London-based Alchemy Television is distributing in all territories other than China and Canada. Sam Continues As Cardinal Wolsey www.ulsterherald.com February 22, 2007 By Michael Devlin OMAGH-born actor, Sam Neill is set to star in the second series of the successful US television series, The Tudors. Produced by American entertainment giant, Showtime and filmed by Ireland's largest film studio, Ardmore Studios, The Tudors will see Neill act opposite another rising Irish star, Jonathan Rhys Meyers (King Henry VIII) as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and is based around the early life and times of the English monarch. As yet it is unclear when (or if) the show will hit our own TV screens. Sam Neill DCNZM, OBE (real name Nigel John Dermot Neill), was born on September 14, 1947 in Omagh, the second son of Dermot, a Harrow and Sandhurst-educated army officer and third generation New Zealander (who was then stationed in Omagh), and his English wife, Priscilla. Neill returned with his family to New Zealand in 1954 (where he currently resides between films) and is the owner of the Two Paddocks winery in Central Otago. He is most widely known for playing palaeontologist Doctor Alan Grant in Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III. He has one son, Tim (born in 1983), by New Zealand actress Lisa Harrow, and one daughter, Elena (born in 1990), by makeup artist Noriko Watanabe, whom he married in 1989. Sam Neill In Third MLA Meat Ad WSN Staff February 9, 2007  Sam's Meat Ad 3 "Instinct" (1,903kb) Television viewers in Australia are treated to the third ad by Meat And Livestock Australia starring Sam Neill. WSN Staff are especially fond of the Sam Dance that takes place at the end of each ad. MLA began the ad campaign in March 2006 to boost the consumption of red meat in that nation. For more on MLA go to: 
View the first two ads on WSN! Sam Neill Receives Honor 
Take a bow: actor Sam Neill, pictured in Arrowtown, has been made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Photo courtesy Shy Fan - thanks! 
TVGuide Magazine Picture Courtesy Mickey. Thanks! Cricketers' Wine Out For a 'Duck' http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ 12 August 2006 Former England cricketers Ian Botham and Bob Willis have come bottom of a celebrity wine league. Their BMW Chardonnay 2005 was least popular of all 12 wines tested for Wine & Spirit magazine. Each candidate had a celebrity connection – either through financial backing or hands-on involvement with the vineyard. Judges described the cricketers' £8.99 bottle of BMW Chardonnay as "a duck", saying it was "powerful and fruity but lacking finesse". Their BMW Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 fared better, coming second in the overall ranking. Two of Sir Cliff Richard's Vida Nova wines came in eighth and ninth places. The Vida Nova 2004 was given the harshest criticism, with judges describing it as having "a plummy nose but very green tannins". Actor Sam Neill topped the celebrity wine league with his Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 2004. The £15.35 bottle received praise from the judges who said it was "smooth and slips down an absolute treat". Greenaway explores Rembrandt's life, work Tue Jul 11, 2006 2:01 AM BST By Ab Zagt WSN UPDATE Contrary to this report, Sam Neill is not starring in Nightwatching. AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands (Hollywood Reporter) - If you look closely at "The Nightwatch," the most famous painting of Rembrandt van Rijn, a shot is being fired in the background. "A murder is committed, and all the killers are on the canvas," suggests British director Peter Greenaway, who will present this very personal view in his new film, "Nightwatching," an unorthodox look at the life and work of arguably the Netherlands' most famous painter. The film After a long search, producer Kees Kasander found his leading man in English actor Martin Freeman, best known for his work on the BBC comedy hit "The Office."could be described as his take on the Rembrandt Code. Kasander says he's very happy with Freeman. "I realise he is unknown for a large part of the audience, but that is an advantage," he says. Sarah Polley plays the painter's wife, Saskia. Minnie Driver, Matthew Modine and Sam Neill are also among the cast. "Rembrandt is some kind of Sherlock Holmes here," Greenaway says. "'The Nightwatch' could be regarded as an episode of 'CSI' or a story like 'Murder on the Orient Express.'" Reuters/Hollywood Reporter Sam Neill Photos From The Tudors WSN Staff June 30, 2006 
Click on each for the Large view. Photos courtesy ShowbizIreland. Trio Crowned For Showtime's "Tudors" Cast www.dose.ca By Nellie Andreeva Reuters Friday, May 05, 2006 LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Sam Neill, Jeremy Northam and Henry Cavill have joined the cast of Showtime's Henry VIII drama "The Tudors." The project, which has a 10-episode order, is a serialized drama about the reign and marriages of the noted monarch, who will be played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Neill will play Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Henry VIII's most important government minister, who possessed great power until he failed to secure for Henry a divorce from Catherine of Aragon. Northam will play famed lawyer, writer and politician Sir Thomas More, who is chiefly remembered for his principled refusal to accept Henry VIII's claim to be the supreme head of the Church of England, a decision that ended his political career and led to his execution as a traitor. Cavill will play Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. Brandon was Henry VIII's closest friend, but their friendship was sorely tested when Brandon secretly married Henry's favorite sister, the beautiful Princess Mary Tudor. Production is scheduled to begin this month in Ireland. Neill most recently co-starred in Sci Fi Channel's miniseries "The Triangle." Northam will next be seen starring opposite Nicole Kidman in the horror drama "The Visiting." Cavill most recently was seen in the feature "Tristan & Isolde." Sam Neill, Jeremy Northam and Henry Cavill Join the Cast Of The Tudors www.movieweb.com/ Thursday, May 4th, 2006 Sam Neill, Jeremy Northam, and Henry Cavill have signed on to star opposite Mission: Impossible III's Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the Showtime period series The Tudors. Based on the early life of Henry VIII (Meyers), the series is a serialized drama about the reign and marriages of England's former King. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Neill will play Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Henry VIII's most important government minister, who possessed great power until he failed to secure for Henry a divorce from Catherine of Aragon. Showtime has orderd 10 episodes of The Tudors to start in the fall. Irresistible Official Site WSN Staff Updated April 13, 2006 * Sam Neill fans can view the trailer of his newest film, Irresistible, at the official site. A mystery/thriller, Irresistible also stars Susan Sarandon. Sam plays Craig Hartley, husband of Sophie Hartley (Sarandon), who may not be all he apprears to be. Sophie is sure her husband's new co-worker is set on stealing her husband and her children. The suspcions and stress of trying to prove her theory and her sanity nearly drive her insane. The plot twists when it is Sophie who is accused of stalking. A July 6, 2006 release date has been set.* The film may be available only on DVD. Visit Cascades Film's Irresistible Official Site. Ozon announces English-language debut Images Chris Tilly | Feb 14 2006 www.timeout.com/film/news/929.html No sooner had Wong Kar-Wai announced his English-language debut yesterday than François Ozon was at it today. The French director, whose previous credits include '8 Women' and 'Swimming Pool', is about to start work on 'Angel', a period piece set in 1910 about a woman who works her way into the upper classes by writing a series of best-selling books. Filming in and around London and Bristol for the next few weeks, 'Angel' stars Charlotte Rampling, Lucy Russel, Sam Neill and Romola Garai ('I Capture the Castle') as the fictional novelist. SAM NEILL TO TOUT FIFTH THIRD CHECKING February 3, 2006 news.cininnati.com In new television ads premiering Super Bowl Sunday, Fifth Third Bancorp has tapped New Zealand actor Sam Neill of "Jurassic Park" as the company's new celebrity spokesman, replacing Wayne Brady. The ad campaign touting the bank's checking products de-emphasizes star power by using the actor for voiceover only while featuring scenes depicting Fifth Third customers. WSN Staff December 14, 2005  Sydney, Australia December 10, 2005 Photo Courtesy Mickey Sam Neill is spotted in Double Bay during the judging of the Christmas Windows, held each year in support of the Double Bay Children's Carnival. Nice legs, Mr. Neill! Kilt-worthy as any Irishman's! Sam Stars in The Triangle View Triangle Images! November 23, 2005 WSN Staff The SciFi Channel will air its highly promoted miniseries on December 5, 2005, at 9 PM Eastern. Sam plays billionaire Eric Benirall, whose ships keep disappearing in the Bermuda Triangle. Benirall hires a crack team to investigate the mysterious Triangle. The Triangle Official Site is loaded with teasers, picture gallery, downloads, and more. Go to the Official Site at Sam as Eric Benirall 
 www.gallipoli-film.com | www.roninfilms.com To The Ends Of The Earth bbc.co.uk Characters & Actors Mr Prettiman Mr Prettiman is a radical-thinking republican, and most people on the ship consider that to be dangerous. He's setting sail to Australia in search of a new life in the new world. Sam Neill explains "Personally, I have nothing in common with Mr Prettiman. He is cantankerous, idealistic, blinkered, thin-skinned, romantic, a man of the enlightenment, but curiously unenlightened himself. A funny character, I don't think he's got much of a future in the new world. I hadn't read the books until I was sent the project and they are very beautiful books. Surprisingly hilarious, Golding is a very funny writer and it's and extraordinary sort of ship of ill-sorted people. It's not unlike isolating people in a country house, although this is for nine months rather than just weeks." Sam Neill Sam is an international film and television star. He's probably best known for his starring role in Jurrasic Park*, but has appeared in over 73 films and television dramas, despite not becoming an actor until he was 29. Sam's also worked on the other side of the cameras, directing, producing and writing. He has recently directed a 90 minute film for Australian TV, explaining, "It's called The Brush Off*. I enjoyed it immensely but I was completely knackered at the end of it. I love directing but it's awfully demanding and I wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis. My bread and butter, the core activity is acting. I'm not a director - I was an actor pretending to be a director." |
