Sam Neill: A versatile actor whose roles went far beyond Jurassic Park

Sam Neill: A versatile actor whose roles went far beyond Jurassic ParkImage source, Getty ImagesBySteven McIntoshEntertainment reporterPublishedJust nowSam Neill, the New Zealand actor who has died at the age of 78, will forever be most associated with the film that made him an international star: Jurassic Park. The 1993 blockbuster dominated his filmography and sparked a series of sequels and reboots - including the recent Jurassic World series, in which he reprised his role as palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant.But there was much more to Neill's career than escaping Velociraptors in the visitor centre of a billionaire's tropical island.Across a career spanning five decades, Neill showed himself to be an actor of depth, capable of taking on a wide range of roles in films ranging from box office hits to acclaimed arthouse movies. He became a global household name relatively late in his career. By the time Jurassic Park came out, Neill was 43 years old and already had a string of credits under his belt.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Neill starred alongside Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough and Laura Dern in 1993's Jurassic ParkNeill was born in 1947 in Northern Ireland, where his father serving as an officer with the Royal Irish Fusiliers."I was born in Omagh, we lived in Armagh and my favourite place here was Tyrella beach, I sort of think that's where I grew up," Neill told the BBC in 2012.The family relocated to New Zealand when Neill was seven.His real name was Nigel, but he began calling himself Sam after finding his new school already had several boys with his name. He later joked that "being christened Nigel set me back for years".He was not initially sure what kind of career to pursue. Neill decided not to follow his father into the army, or the hospitality business his family owned. A brief attempt at a career in the legal profession was cut short after he failed his first year at law school.Having starred in st...