Sam Neill’s James Bond screen test emerges after actor’s death | Celebrity News | Showbiz & TV

The film world was in mourning on Monday (July 13) after it emerged actor Sam Neill had died aged 78, with his family announcing the news in an emotional statement.

Best known for his roles as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park and Alisdair Stewart in The Piano, the New Zealand-born star died surrounded by his loved ones. “It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney, Australia,” the family said.

“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life. The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.”

In his later years, meanwhile, Sam appeared in crime drama, Peaky Blinders as Chief Inspector Chester Campbell. His Hollywood career might have taken an entirely different path, however, had he taken the role of James Bond following a screen test in 1986.

Footage of his audition has resurfaced on social in the wake of his death, prompting movie lovers to share theories on why he might have been overlooked. “Sam Neill originally auditioned for James Bond in The Living Daylights (1987),” one X user said. “He later admitted he knew almost immediately he wasn’t right for the role, which ultimately went to Timothy Dalton.”

A second person added: “Sam Neill was also *this close* to being James Bond. I think he would have been well received in the part as Roger Moore‘s successor.”

A third shared: “Reminder that Sam Neill once auditioned to become James Bond, even though he apparently didn’t want to. Eventually Pierce Brosnan got it – which delighted Sam as the two were friends.”

While a fourth penned on Reddit: “Neill had already played a real life superspy Sidney Reilly [in Reilly: Ace of Spies] and was awesome in the role. A real superspy wouldn’t be upto his standards at that point since both American and British audiences were already acquainted with his portrayal of a secret agent whose adventures outclassed any of those featuring either George Smiley, Ethan Hunt or James Bond.”

Indeed, in 2022, Sam told Den of Geek: “First of all, I wouldn’t have taken the role if they’d asked me to do it. It was the last time that I was bullied into doing a screen test. My agent insisted that I go and do it, [saying] it would be rude otherwise. So reluctantly I went out to Pinewood [Studios] and did this silly thing for a part I never wanted to do.”

He continued: “It was a part that my friend Pierce Brosnan was mad keen to do, and he was very good at it. I wouldn’t have been any good and I wouldn’t have enjoyed it. And I certainly wouldn’t have enjoyed being recognized as that James Bond you didn’t like. So it was never a question.”

Sam revealed in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of blood cancer. Although he later said the disease was in remission, he continued to receive monthly chemotherapy.

In 2023, Neill published his memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?, in which he candidly reflected on both his remarkable acting career and his battle with cancer.