NEWSSam Neill Thought He Could 'Die' During Hurricane While Filming 'Jurassic Park'
Sam Neill shared a dramatic story about surviving a hurricane during 'Jurassic Park' filming.
April 2 2026, Published 5:00 a.m. ET
Sam Neill's participation in Xfinity's Super Bowl commercial has sparked interesting conversations about his time on the set of Jurassic Park. The actor highlighted his desire to reunite with co-stars Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, emphasizing their friendship despite their geographic distances.
Sam Neill recalled surviving a hurricane during filming.
“That's always a pleasure. It doesn't happen enough,” Neill told Entertainment Weekly. He noted that he resides in New Zealand, Goldblum is in Italy, and Dern is in Los Angeles, which complicates getting together.
The storm hit while they were shooting 'Jurassic Park.'
Neill reminisced about a significant memory from the filming in Hawaii. In September 1992, Hurricane Iniki threatened their location. He recalled arriving on set only to be told, “We're not going to work today...There's a hurricane coming.”
The calm atmosphere quickly shifted. “Laura and I went down to the beach, and she said, 'Do you think we might die today?' And I said, 'I think that's entirely possible,'” Neill recounted. The sense of fear was palpable, but the cast found strength in each other as they awaited the storm's arrival.
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The star is close with his costars.
The cast spent hours in a ballroom, hunkered down from the storm. Neill shared that while the hurricane did not cause extensive damage, it did destroy their sets, forcing them to return to Los Angeles. “The airport was covered in dead trees and things,” he explained.
During their wait, Neill, Dern, Goldblum and director Steven Spielberg kept each other busy. “He can be very, very entertaining,” Neill mentioned, highlighting Spielberg’s ability to keep spirits high even in tough times.
Their shared experience forged a lasting bond. Neill reflected, “When you survive a hurricane together, everything after that feels like a cakewalk.”
The experience brought the cast closer together.
The Super Bowl ad presented a humorous twist on their iconic movie. Neill returned as Dr. Alan Grant, Dern as Ellie Sattler, and Goldblum as Ian Malcolm. Instead of chaos, viewers saw a park powered by Xfinity's reliable Wi-Fi, creating a perfect vacation spot for guests.
Neill clarified that the costumes in the ad are not the originals, as he auctioned off his props for charity. “So they made me a new uniform,” he stated.
Additionally, Neill shared his thoughts on the recent Jurassic film, Jurassic World Rebirth, calling it a “family affair” due to his previous work with Scarlett Johansson. He expresses pride in her talent, stating, “I feel like my daughter, she's capable of kicking any a--.”
