Sam Neill (1947–2026) forged a career of versatility, depth and boldness over six decades. Blockbuster classic Jurassic Park (1993) and his character of Dr Alan Grant cemented Neill’s international stardom – but he was also acclaimed for being a leading man in cult arthouse cinema. From Andrzej Żuławski’s Possession (1981) to playing the son of the Devil in Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981), he was an actor with bold tastes who was unafraid to venture into darker waters.

This still captures Neill on the set of Phillip Noyce’s psychological thriller Dead Calm (1989). Neill stars as John Ingram, a man who finds himself and his wife (Nicole Kidman) terrorised by a serial killer while out at sea. Along with the scenic ocean backdrop that juxtaposes the film’s horrors, the image showcases Neill’s warmth and expressiveness. Whether he was playing an ordinary man thrust into impossible circumstances, an excitable scientist or someone carrying simmering anguish, he brought nuance to every role.