Sam Neill says he joined new TV series The Twelve without reading the entire script: ‘I don’t want to know what happens at the end’
He is best known for his starring role in the acclaimed blockbuster Jurassic Park.
And now Sam Neill has given up dinosaurs for a jabot and a wig in his latest project, The Twelve.
The 74-year-old actor, who plays lawyer Brett Colby in the new Foxtel series, recently revealed to Who magazine that he didn’t finish reading the script before signing.
Sam Neill says he didn’t even read the full script before signing on to star in Foxtel’s The Twelve (pictured).
“I read about the sixth episode,” he admitted.
Sam explained that he found the storyline “really compelling” and “was interested to know what happened next”.
“It’s always very critical when you read a project. If you want to know what happens next, then that tells you something,” he told the publication.
“I was like, ‘I don’t want to know what happens at the end’ because that’s not what you want in life, and I found it a lot more interesting to just play it as someone who just doesn’t know what the story is about.”
“So I was just as surprised at how things turn out as the audience will be when they see the show.”
Sam explained that he didn’t finish reading the script before signing on to the series
Sam appears alongside an all-star cast and shares the screen with Brendan Cowell (Game of Thrones), Pallavi Sharda (Lion), Marta Dusseldorp (Wentworth) and Kate Mulvany (Lambs of God).
They are also joined by Brooke Satchwell (Neighbours), Nic Cassim (Mr Inbetween), Daniel Mitchell (The Moody), Gennie Nevinson (Muriel’s Wedding), Toby Blome (Privileged), Warren Lee (Eight) and Susan Kennedy (All Saints). .
The drama series premieres June 21 on Fox Showcase and is based on the 2019 Belgian series De Twaalf.
Appearing alongside an all-star cast, Sam shares the screen with Brendan Cowell (pictured), Pallavi Sharda (pictured), Marta Dusseldorp and Kate Mulvany
Based on the 2019 Belgian series De Twaalf, The Twelve tells the story of 12 jurors who, while grappling with their own personal struggles, must decide the case of a woman accused of killing a child
The Twelve tells the story of 12 jurors who, while dealing with their own personal struggles, must decide the case of a woman accused of killing a child.
A 2004 interview with the Northern Ireland-born star resurfaced last week revealing he was forced to change his name when he was younger.
The actor’s nickname was actually Nigel John Dermott Neill.
Kate Mulvany (Lambs of God) plays the accused in The Twelve
“My best friend at school was also named Nigel, which was confusing,” he explained during an interview on Andrew Denton’s Enough Rope.
“So I called him Bill and he called me Sam.”
He also admitted that his birth name made him a target for bullies.
“You know, if your name is Nigel – and if there are any Nigels out there who know what I’m talking about – then you’re just an absolute prime target to get involved with,” Sam said.
Marta Dusseldorp (Wentworth) appears in the trailer for The Twelve