Director Jane Campion has shared personal memories of actor Sam Neill, describing him as an effortlessly handsome movie star who brought warmth and dedication to the set.
Campion first met Neill at an Auckland cafe to discuss pre-production for the 1993 film The Piano, where he was cast as the repressed and violent Stewart.
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"He was to play the repressed and violent Stewart, the one who would chop off his wife's finger.
Who but Sam could play that part, could surprise with that part?" Campion said.
According to Campion, Neill looked after everyone on set, organized dinners, and carefully monitored lighting during production, fully committing to the demanding role.
"I can remember gasping as he pulled Holly [Hunter] out of his hut, into the streaming rain and mud, with a force I had not expected but at once realised the story needed," she added.
The friendship grew over the years, leading Campion and her family to visit Neill's home in Queenstown, sparking their long-term appreciation for southern New Zealand's landscapes.
As Neill faced his cancer diagnosis, he wrote a memoir and requested Campion's feedback on the chapter dedicated to The Piano, a period she noted was a lonely time for him.
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Campion visited Neill early this year at his winery alongside his partner Heather and friend Griz, celebrating news that he was temporarily cancer-free.
