Heartfelt text Sam Neill sent Perth actor Chris Thomas after tough day on The Twelve set
A TV show extra has opened up on the touching moment he shared with the star.
An extra who worked alongside Sam Neill has opened up on the heartfelt moment he was comforted by the leading man, who died suddenly on Monday aged 78.
Perth performer and author Chris Thomas was a background figure on the set of Australian courtroom TV series The Twelve when he needed to step away from set for a breather following a “stressful” shooting day.
“He came out to where I was sitting and quietly spoke me to me, which encouraged me to return,” Thomas said.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“Twenty-four hours later I received [a text message from him].
“My time on the series was done. It was about 5pm Saturday... he would have had to track down my number from someone and then took the time to check I was OK.
“Remarkable, astonishing and my respect for the man became even greater.”
‘You have been immaculate’
Thomas said he found it hilarious that the Jurassic Park star had signed off from his message with Sam N — “as if I might not know who he was”.
“Chris, this is Sam. I hope this is the right number. And I hope you are ok today,” Neill said in his text, shared by Thomas on Monday.
“Yesterday was wrong for you at work. None it was fair. I felt very badly for you and I hope I did a little to cheer you up.
“You have been immaculate all these weeks, always concentrating, and doing your job well.
“I am glad you came back into court, that took some doing. It was the right thing to do and I take my hat off to you for that.
“Good man. All the best, mate. Sam N.”
Neill said it was unfair and wrong that Thomas had been shouted at.
“Everyone understood and felt for you,” Neill said.
“No damage done at all for your rep. Do not lose any sleep over this, mate.”
Thomas said the tale “gives you the measure of the man he was”.
Neill died on Monday in Sydney, surrounded by family.
“The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free, ”a statement on Neill’s Instagram said.
Thomas’ anecdote was one of many tributes shared for the “trailblazing” performer following his death.
Neill’s Ride Like a Girl co-star Magda Szubanski said she was devastated.
“He’s just a one-off — such a talented, classy, beautiful, wry, warm human being - really lovely man and I’m just very sad for all who loved him, and there are so many of us,” Szubanski said.
“God bless you, Sam.”
Originally published as Actor’s private exchange with Sam Neill shows ‘measure of the man’
