Sam Neill was 20 years older than Laura Dern in “Jurassic Park,” an age gap that somehow didn’t make the stars uncomfortable until nearly three decades after the 1993 blockbuster hit theaters.
“Laura was a tender age,” Neill told The Sunday Times of London via BuzzFeed News of the casting. “I am 20 years older than Laura! Which at the time was a completely appropriate age difference for a leading man and lady.” His character, paleontologist Alan Grant, played opposite Dern’s character as paleontologist Ellie Sattler.
“It never occurred to me until I opened a magazine and there was an article called ‘Old geezers and gals,'” Neill said, according to USA Today. “People like Harrison Ford and Sean Connery acting with much younger people. And there I was, on the list. I thought, ‘Come on. It can’t be true.'”
Unfortunately, it was absolutely true. At the time of filming, Dern was 23 years old and Neill was in his early 40s. Now, much to the delight of fans, they’re reprising their roles in “Jurassic World Dominion.” Dern is currently 55 years old, while Neill is 74 years old.
Dern told the London news outlet that the 20 year age gap was “completely inappropriate,” but at the time, she thought it was “completely appropriate to fall in love with Sam Neill.”
“And it was only now, when we returned in a moment of cultural awareness about the patriarchy, that I was, like, ‘Wow! We’re not the same age?'” Dern said.
They’ve already wrapped shooting “Jurassic World Dominion.” Jeff Goldblum will also be returning to his role as Ian Malcolm alongside Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. The movie will be released on June 9, 2022.
