Sam Neill, a New Zealand actor, has stated that he is undergoing treatment for stage three blood cancer.
The Jurassic Park star revealed the news in the opening chapter of his upcoming memoir, Did I Ever Told You This, when he writes that he is ‘probably dying.’
In an interview with The Guardian, the 75-year-old actor said: ‘The thing is, I’m crook. Possibly dying.’
He added: ‘I may have to speed this up. I found myself with nothing to do.
‘And I’m used to working. I love working. I love going to work. I love being with people every day and enjoying human company and friendship and all these things. And suddenly I was deprived of that. And I thought, “What am I going to do?”‘
Neill also revealed to the BBC that he was diagnosed with “a fierce sort of aggressive” non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
He began writing his memoir as a diversion and a way to ‘get through the day.’
The book will look back on the New Zealand actor’s 50-year film career as well as his unexpected sickness.
Neill stated that he sought medical attention after spotting swollen glands on his neck while on a marketing trip for the film Jurassic World Dominion last year.
When physicians informed him of his diagnosis, the Piano star remained cool, and he immediately began planning a book about his life.
‘I thought I need to do something, and I thought, ‘Shall I start writing?’ he told the BBC.
‘I didn’t think I had a book in me, I just thought I’d write some stories. And I found it increasingly engrossing.
‘A year later, not only have I written the book – I didn’t have a ghostwriter – but it’s come out in record time,’ he said proudly.
And about the literary effort he also said he ‘never had any intention to write a book.’
Sam explained, ‘But as I went on and kept writing, I realised it was actually sort of giving me a reason to live and I would go to bed thinking, ‘I’ll write about that tomorrow… that will entertain me.’
‘And so it was a lifesaver really, because I couldn’t have gone through that with nothing to do, you know.’
