New Zealand actor Sam Neill breaks down in tears over simple question in heartbreaking interview - following shock blood cancer diagnosis READ MORE: Sam Neill opens up about brutal chemotherapy treatment By Kinta Walsh-cotton For Daily Mail Australia Published: 02:35, 22 August 2024 | Updated: 02:38, 22 August 2024 e-mail View comments Sam Neill , who is currently fighting stage-three blood cancer, was left in tears during a heartbreaking interview when he was asked a simple question about his parents. The New Zealand actor, 76, broke down on the debut episode of ABC series The Assembly when asked what the 'best lesson' he learned from his parents was. Stunned by the 'interesting' question put forth by one of the autistic interviewers in training, he struggled to hold back tears as he reminisced over his mother Priscilla.
'Wow, that's a really interesting question. I think they were..
. [chokes up] I don't know why that question has moved me so much, but it has,' the Jurassic Park star said. 'My parents were of the generation that went through a lot of things.
They went through the [Great] Depression . My mother lost her father in the first [world] war. 'She grew up without her father.
They went through a lot of stuff, but they were very stoic people.' Sam went on to describe a tough year he had in university when he did 'bugger all' because he was too busy acting in plays and 'trying to find a girlfriend'. He said he became 'very anxious' as final exams came up and he realise.