Sam Neill doesn’t see Jurassic World Rebirth as just another sequel in a long-running franchise. For him, the connection runs deeper and more personal. Long before dinosaurs, chaos theory, and theme parks gone wrong, Neill shared the screen with the film’s current star in a role that still shapes how he views the newest chapter of the series.
Sam Neill explains why Jurassic World Rebirth is ‘a family affair’
Neill recently explained that his bond with Scarlett Johansson dates back to The Horse Whisperer, the 1998 drama directed by and starring Robert Redford. In the film, Neill played Robert MacLean, the father of Johansson’s character, Grace. Johansson was just 12 at the time, portraying a girl recovering from a devastating accident involving her horse.
Reflecting on that experience, Neill told Entertainment Weekly, “I feel like it’s a family affair here,” recalling their time filming together in Montana alongside Kristin Scott Thomas and Redford.
That history makes Johansson’s leading role in Jurassic World Rebirth especially meaningful for Neill. Johansson stars as Zora Bennett, a highly trained operations specialist hired by a pharmaceutical company to penetrate a remote dinosaur habitat.
Her mission centers on extracting DNA from the largest surviving prehistoric creatures across land, sea, and air. For Neill, watching Johansson carry the franchise forward feels like seeing a familiar face take the reins. “I’m very fond of Scarlett,” he said.
Neill is also back in dinosaur territory himself, reuniting with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum for a new Xfinity Super Bowl commercial. Directed by Taika Waititi, the ad reimagines Jurassic Park but in a different setting where the technology works.
With stable Wi-Fi keeping systems online, the park never collapses, and no one gets eaten. Xfinity collaborated with NBCUniversal to recreate original costumes, sets, and visuals from the 1993 classic.
Even the details mattered. Neill noted that none of the wardrobe he wore was original, explaining, “Nothing I was wearing [in the ad] was original.” He added that new versions were made after he previously auctioned off old Jurassic gear for charity.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on ComingSoon.
