Sam Neills Surprising Love Life Revealed!

 lived a full life in front of the camera. 

But behind the scenes, he was a father and husband, who knew great love with some extraordinary women. 

The New Zealand actor, who died on Monday at the age of 78 after a sudden illness, was first married to New Zealand actress Lisa Harrow.

The pair met when they were co-stars on the horror movie Omen III: The Final Conflict, which was filmed in London in 1980. 

Their on-screen chemistry spilled offscreen, and they became a couple that same year, going on to marry in 1981. 

In 1983, they had a son together, Tim Neill, 42, who works in the same industry as his famous folks, as a visual effects artist. 

'We were together for 11 years. The best thing about that relationship was having our son, Tim,' Sam said in 2023. 

Lisa, 82, is best known for her television roles in Kavanagh QC and Nancy Astor, as well as The Omen film franchise. 

The couple's divorce was finalised by 1989, and that same year, Sam married his second wife, Japanese makeup artist Noriko Watanabe. 

Sam and Noriko met in 1987 on the set of thriller film Dead Calm, in which Neill starred alongside a young Nicole Kidman. 

By 1989, they were married, and soon after, in 1991, had a daughter together, Elena Neill, 35.

Like her dad, Elena is an actress, known for her work in Aussie television shows such as Top of the Lake and the film The Brush-Off, as well as working as a tattoo artist.

'My ex-wife, film make-up artist Noriko Watanabe, and I were married for almost 30 years. Our daughter, Elena, is a Melbourne-based tattooist,' Sam said in 2023. 

In a touching act, Sam also became dad to Noriko's daughter, Maiko Spencer, from her previous marriage. 

He officially adopted Maiko, 45, a singer and events manager, shortly after marrying Noriko. 

Neill also had a son, Andrew, who was placed for adoption when the actor was in his early twenties.  

The father and son found each other and reunited in 1994, with Andrew very much a part of the family in later years. 

The marriage between Sam and Noriko lasted until 2017 before the couple divorced - and Sam would not marry a third time. 

He did however find love later in life, with Australian political journalist Laura Tingle, 65. 

Sam was very private about his relationship with the political correspondent, but once quipped that Laura was enjoying the spoils of Sam's private vineyard. 

'My guess is that I'm in it for the politics; she's in it for the wine,' he said. 

The ABC journalist and the Hollywood legend had met through mutual friends and shared a romance between 2018 and 2021, before parting ways amicably. Neill confirmed the split in 2023. 

'I had three wonderful years with Laura Tingle, and I am so grateful for that,' he told The Sydney Morning Herald.

'I am a solitary single man now, and I wonder if that's a personal failing or just bad luck. I am past my use-by date and would not marry again.

'These days I'm lucky if I go on the odd date. That suits me well, but it's also a bit lonely. There were times last year that I could have done with a bit of companionship to see me through my blood-cancer treatment.'

Sam said that writing his 2023 memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?, had caused him to, 'reflect on how much gratitude I have for people like my mother, and the women who've been good to me. And some of that is not without regrets.

'I think women are better human beings than men.'

Sam has characterised himself as a somewhat absent father due to his busy career, but in his later years was an engaged grandpa to his eight grandchildren. 

'I think you could probably characterise my family life as being somewhat haphazard,' he joked in 2020. 

'I should write a book about parenting, Sam Neill's Guide to Benign Neglect.'

Sam has characterised himself as a somewhat absent father due to his busy career, but in his later years was an engaged grandpa to his eight grandchildren