Sam Neill almost landed one of film’s most iconic roles - but the ‘mortified’ star didn’t want it

Sam Neill is being remembered for his many iconic acting roles – and even one he didn’t actually play.

Before the beloved New Zealand actor, who died this week aged 78, became Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, he almost joined the likes of Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan and Sean Connery as James Bond.

In 1986, after Roger Moore’s final film for the franchise, the hunt was on for a new Bond – and Neill was “bullied” into a screen test.

British actor Timothy Dalton ended up taking on 007 next, but Neill wasn’t upset at missing out.

In fact, it came as a relief because he didn’t even want the role.

“First of all, I wouldn’t have taken the role if they’d asked me to do it,” Neill told Den of Geek in 2022.

“It was the last time that I was bullied into doing a screen test. My agent insisted that I go and do it, [saying] it would be rude otherwise. So reluctantly I went out to Pinewood [Studios] and did this silly thing for a part I never wanted to do.”

Read more

Nicole Kidman, Laura Tingle, Anthony Albanese and more pay tribute to beloved NZ actor Sam Neill

He had earlier told ABC it was “one of the most mortifying times of my life”.

In his screen test, which was originally shared in a 2000 documentary about the making of 1987 film The Living Daylights and has resurfaced following the actor’s shock death, he is given the opportunity to say the famous spy’s iconic line.

“My friends call me Bond, James Bond,” Neill said.

Fans of the actor loved the look at what could’ve been.

“Why didn’t he get it? He was perfect,” one wrote.

“RIP. He would’ve made a fine Bond back in the day,” said another.

Neill’s career was far from lacking even without one of film’s most iconic roles, but the actor never set out to be a “movie star”.

In 2018, he told The Telegraph he appreciated being about to live a semi-normal life, even when at industry events such as the Venice Film Festival.

“Without naming names, some of the people who have been our hotel for the last couple of days, there is no money on earth that could compensate me for the lives they have to live. There are guests on my corridor with six security guards outside their door. Six! And those are the people they now live with,” he said.

“When you get there, you’ve lost all semblance of life. So I’m very comfortable with whatever career that I have. Because it’s permitted me great privilege with very little loss.”