Sam Neill Recalls Terrifying Jurassic Park Set Disaster That Almost Killed The Cast: “Do You Think We Might Die Today?”

Sam Neill is stepping back into the world of Jurassic Park, but this time it comes with memories that go far beyond dinosaurs.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor explained why he agreed to appear in a new Xfinity Super Bowl commercial that brings back famous moments from the classic film. For Neill, the main reason was simple. It was a chance to reunite with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum.

Neill said seeing his former co-stars again does not happen often because they all live in different parts of the world. He shared that the reunion meant a lot to him, calling it a rare and happy moment after so many years apart.

While talking about the ad, Neill also looked back on his time filming Jurassic Park in the early 1990s. One memory stands out more than any other. During production in Hawaii, the cast found themselves in real danger when Hurricane Iniki hit the island in September 1992.

According to Neill, they arrived for work early one morning only to be told filming was shut down because a hurricane was on the way. He recalled how quiet everything suddenly became and how the ocean pulled back in an unsettling way.

Neill shared a chilling moment he experienced with Dern as they watched the situation unfold. “Laura and I went down to the beach, and she said, ‘Do you think we might die today?’ And I said, ‘I think that’s entirely possible,’” he told Entertainment Weekly.

The cast and crew spent hours sheltering inside a hotel ballroom while the storm passed. Although the hurricane moved quickly, it caused major damage. Neill said the sets were destroyed, and the airport was left unusable for days due to fallen trees and debris. The group eventually had to wait several days before they could return to Los Angeles. During that downtime, Neill said the main cast and director Steven Spielberg passed the time together, keeping each other entertained.

Looking back, Neill believes surviving that experience created a strong bond among them. He said it was the closest he has ever come to losing his life while making a movie. Everything after that felt easy by comparison.

The new Xfinity commercial imagines a different version of Jurassic Park, one where the island has reliable Wi-Fi and nothing goes wrong. Neill returns as Dr. Alan Grant, with Dern as Ellie Sattler and Goldblum as Ian Malcolm. The ad was filmed in California, with help from NBCUniversal to closely match the look and feel of the original movie.

Neill also mentioned that none of the clothes he wore in the commercial were the real ones from the film. He explained that many of his original props were sold for charity years ago. “So they made me a new uniform. I did not keep it this time, just in case they want another reunion,” he said.

During the interview, Neill briefly spoke about the latest Jurassic movie, Jurassic World Rebirth. He described it as personal for him because of his past work with Scarlett Johansson, who leads the new film. Neill joked about her strength, saying, “I feel like my daughter, she’s capable of kicking any a**. She gets it from me.”

Stories like this remind us how intense movie-making can really be. Fans often remember the magic on screen, but moments like a real hurricane show how much risk and teamwork happen behind the scenes. It also explains why the Jurassic Park cast still shares such a strong bond decades later. What do you think about Sam Neill’s experience and the new reunion ad? Share your thoughts in the comments.