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‘Some fantastic mischief lurking just around the grin’: Sam Neill by Tara Fitzgerald – a poem

Neill’s co-star in the 1994 comedy-drama Sirens remembers a man of rare beauty, generosity and delight By the time I met Sam He had already assumed a kind of mythic status in our household, playing Reilly on Ace of Spies. My stepfather was his boss. 11 years on and I get to work with him, Playing Norman Lindsay (wryly). He was Electric-minded Some fantastic mischief lurking just around the grin The twinkle of his eye An astronomical scintillation No time for Acting Too busy Being. Present (Before I knew what present even was) There for the other actor Made it seem so simple Really asked the question He could conjure anything Puckish So blessed to have had that time The proximity With the hope that something Might rub off Yes His softly softly take The first tasting of Two Paddocks Pinot noir On a gentle evening Chez lui (Another case of his generosity) The satisfying ritual of the swirli

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Neill’s co-star in the 1994 comedy-drama Sirens remembers a man of rare beauty, generosity and delight By the time I met Sam He had already assumed a kind of mythic status in our household, playing Reilly on Ace of Spies. My stepfather was his boss. 11 years on and I get to work with him, Playing Norman Lindsay (wryly). He was Electric-minded Some fantastic mischief lurking just around the grin The twinkle of his eye An astronomical scintillation No time for Acting Too busy Being. Present (Before I knew what present even was) There for the other actor Made it seem so simple Really asked the question He could conjure anything Puckish So blessed to have had that time The proximity With the hope that something Might rub off Yes His softly softly take The first tasting of Two Paddocks Pinot noir On a gentle evening Chez lui (Another case of his generosity) The satisfying ritual of the swirli

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According to The Guardian’s linked report, ‘Some fantastic mischief lurking just around the grin’: Sam Neill by Tara Fitzgerald – a poem, Neill’s co-star in the 1994 comedy-drama Sirens remembers a man of rare beauty, generosity and delight By the time I met Sam He had already assumed a kind of mythic status in our household, playing Reilly on Ace of Spies. My stepfather was his boss. 11 years on and I get to work with him, Playing Norman Lindsay (wryly). He was Electric-minded Some fantastic mischief lurking just around the grin The twinkle of his eye An astronomical scintillation No time for Acting Too busy Being. Present (Before I knew what present even was) There for the other actor Made it seem so simple Really asked the question He could conjure anything Puckish So blessed to have had that time The proximity With the hope that something Might rub off Yes His softly softly take The first tasting of Two Paddocks Pinot noir On a gentle evening Chez lui (Another case of his generosity) The satisfying ritual of the swirli

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The development sits in VINI’s Culture coverage for readers following arts, entertainment, fashion, film, music, celebrity, and the business of culture. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The linked report is dated 2026-07-17T09:00:03+00:00.

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Primary source: ‘Some fantastic mischief lurking just around the grin’: Sam Neill by Tara Fitzgerald – a poem via The Guardian. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.

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