Coming up with a single word to describe Neill is easy. He had many outstanding traits. He was simply a good Kiwi, one of us, a southerner, a normal bloke even though he was Hollywood gold.
Modest about his achievements and life in the limelight, he would probably even have taken issue with the capital ‘‘K’’ on Kiwi, suggesting he would be perfectly happy to be compared with our flightless national bird and its lower-case ‘‘k’’.
News of the actor’s death in Sydney on Monday evening at the age of 78 has stunned. He had overcome the blood cancer which itself came as a shock when he announced in March 2023 he had been having chemotherapy for a year, and we probably took it for granted such a seemingly healthy, relaxed character, happy with his lot, his family and his home, would be around for years yet.
‘‘We’ve built all these lovely terraces, we’ve got these olive trees and cypresses. I want to be around to see it all mature. And I’ve got my lovely little grandchildren. I want to see them get big. But as for the dying? I couldn’t care less.’’
At the end of April this year, Neill talked about how a novel therapy saved his life and rid his body of cancer. He also referred to the threats and hostility he had received since voicing his opposition to the proposed Santana Minerals open-cast gold mine near Bendigo, especially including insults from Resources Minister Shane Jones.
Neill was a picture of vigour. Photographs and video clips of him at his Central Otago home near Clyde show a welcoming, grizzled, bearded face often protected by a large hat.
Apparently without conscious effort, he always seemed to manage the tricky balance of being in the public eye enough, but not too much. Somehow he was just there, but never in an in-your-face kind of way. He was understated, dry and considered.
Listen to any of the directors or co-stars of films he was in and they will all remark on his diffidence, his unassuming manner which took him far. It’s great confirmation for us all that nice guys can go a long way.
Tributes to Neill are pouring in. Within an hour of the announcement on Monday, news of his death was leading The Guardian website. Others reporting on it overseas included the BBC, CNN, Deutsche Welle, the Sydney Morning Herald and 9News.
While Neill was proudly a New Zealander, and New Zealand was proud to claim him in return, we shouldn’t be too surprised at the depth of feeling from across the Tasman and that the Australians are up to their old tricks and calling him one of their own. He often described himself as both a Kiwi and Aussie, was a major player in the film industries of both nations and lived in Sydney for decades.
His contributions to acting, film and television are immeasurable. His canon includes something for everyone, whether it be Sleeping Dogs, The Piano, Jurassic Park and its sequels, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Dean Spanley, The Dish or Reilly, Ace of Spies.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Labour leader Chris Hipkins, former Labour prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern and NZ First leader Winston Peters were among those who praised Neill’s work. Interestingly, so did the Department of Conservation, calling him ‘‘a fierce and passionate champion for our environment’’ who ‘‘walked the talk’’.
In recent months, Neill spoke fearlessly against the Santana mine. In an Instagram video in April, he called the threats of violence and personal abuse since doing so shocking and disturbing, and wondered why Mr Jones had chosen to make it personal, insulting him for being ‘‘anti-Kiwi’’ and accusing him of not living in the real world.
Friend and Sleeping Dogs director Roger Donaldson said yesterday that Neill was upset by the vicious and aggressive criticism from some, including Mr Jones, and that may well have taken its toll on him.
What we can say unreservedly is New Zealand was a much better place for Neill being part of it. A single word to end too. Legend.
