Now on Netflix: Sam Neill in a brooding new crime drama where small-town silence hides deadly truths

The Jurassic Park icon is perfectly cast in this slow-burn thriller packed with secrets, suspicion, and a chilling undercurrent of power and guilt
A must-watch for fans of Broadchurch and The Stranger

Sam Neill has taken on a role in the new Netflix crime drama, and it feels like the perfect fit for the Jurassic Park actor. Sam Neill’s most famous project, without a doubt, is Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise. As we all know, the park took a dangerous turn when Alan Grant visited, leading to a survival story that blends science fiction and horror.

Since Neill’s appearance in the 1993 film, he has revisited the franchise twice, appearing in Jurassic Park III, released in 2001, and Jurassic World Dominion, released in 2022. Although this role continues to define his career, he has expanded his acting portfolio over the years. His most recent show, Netflix’s Untamed, is a perfect follow-up to his role in Jurassic Park.

Sam Neill Works In Another Dangerous Park In Netflix’s Untamed

Sam Neill Went From Jurassic Park To Yosemite National Park

Courtesy of Netflix

Sam Neill takes on a supporting role in the cast of Netflix’s Untamed. The show follows a National Parks Service investigator named Kyle Turner (Eric Bana), who looks into the possible murder at El Capitan. Neill plays Paul Souter, the chief park ranger at Yosemite National Park. The character Paul Souter feels like the perfect follow-up to Alan Grant for Sam Neill.

Although he wasn’t involved in the creation of Jurassic Park, Grant visited the park with the expectation that he would endorse Hammond’s project in exchange for three years of funding for his dig, giving him a working relationship with the deadly park. Similarly, Paul Souter works at Yosemite National Park, which is not only naturally dangerous but is the location of a possible murder.

✕Remove Ads

Sam Neill’s Most Notable Roles Outside Of The Jurassic Park Franchise Explained

Sam Neill Is A Versatile Actor Who Has Appeared In Many Genres

While Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise is his most recognizable role, actor Sam Neill has many other notable projects under his belt. Older characters include Merlin in the two-part miniseries Merlin (1998), Sir in the movie Bicentennial Man (1999), and Mr. Prettiman in the miniseries To The Ends of the Earth (2005).

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, he went through a period of appearing in period dramas, including The Tudors (2007), Crusoe (2008-2010), and Peaky Blinders (2013-2014). This was a nice change of pace from Jurassic Park, showing that he can hold his own in a vastly different genre.

More recently, Sam Neill has appeared in a few popular movies and TV shows. He plays the foster uncle in the 2016 bizarre comedy-adventure movie The Hunt for the Wilderpeople. He also plays the family patriarch in the cast of the 2024 drama-mystery miniseries Apples Never Fall. Finally, he is currently playing the lawyer in the crime-thriller The Twelve, which just released its third season this year.

Though Neill might always be best known for acting in Jurassic Park, the wide range of roles that he has taken on proves that he’s more than capable of acting in multiple genres and story formats.