Central Stage

With an illustrious Hollywood career now spanning five decades, you could be forgiven for thinking Sir Sam Neill might be looking to slow down a little. But as he roams around his multifaceted property in Central Otago, feeding the animals and surveying the grapevines with abundant energy and a charming, youthful spark, it’s clear that retirement is nowhere in sight. Sam is a man with a lot on the go; while acting, agriculture and wine are lifelong passions, he has recently added ‘author’ to his talent repertoire with the release of his new memoir Did I Ever Tell You This? Much of the book was written while Sam was undergoing cancer treatment in Sydney last year – after being diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, he is now, thankfully, in remission. Other parts of the book were written at the Central Otago farm where he enjoys living off the land. Extending his genetic love of wine, he planted four vineyards in the region in the ‘90s and ‘00s, then set an ambitious goal to produce the world’s finest pinot noir through organic wine brand Two Paddocks. Today, Sam spends his days on the farm making lavender oil, tending to the animals, entertaining grandchildren and catching up with his team over a glass of that award-winning pinot.