Acclaimed actor Sam Neill passed away this week at the age of 78, and while most people remember him for his iconic role as Dr. Alan Grant in the Steven Spielberg blockbuster “Jurassic Park,” my immediate thought was of one scene in the 1990 thriller “The Hunt for Red October.” In that film, Neill played Soviet Captain Vasili Borodin — serving under Captain Marko Ramius, who was played by the late Sean Connery. When Ramius reveals his plan to defect to the United States, his loyal second-in command is ready to follow him. But knowing nothing beyond his life in the Soviet Union at the height go the Cold War, he struggles to wrap his brain around the concept of liberty. WATCH: “I will live in Montana. And I will marry a round American woman and raise rabbits, and she will cook them for me,” Borodin begins, his dreams getting bigger with every word. “And I will have a pickup truck … maybe even a ‘recreational vehicle.’ And drive from state to state … Do they let you do that?” “I suppose,” Ramius replies. “No papers?” Borodin is incredulous. “No papers, state to state,” Ramius repeats. Borodin continues: “Well then, in winter I will live in … Arizona. Actually, I think I will need two wives.” “Oh, at least,” Ramius agrees. Spoiler alert: Borodin is killed before the end of the film and never gets to realize his dream. His last words are, “I would have liked to have seen Montana.” But in his real life, in his own way, Neill lived out that Soviet’s dream. Born in Ireland, Neill moved to New Zealand with his family when he was just seven years old, and for the rest of his life, he felt more connected to his adopted home than to his birthplace. Even after reaching the heights of fame — in major releases such as “Jurassic Park,” “The Hunt for Red October,” “Event Horizon,” and more — and building a film career that spanned more than five decades, Neill often preferred the open space and quiet he found at home, making acclaimed pinot noirs at his Two Paddocks winery. Neill filled his life with animals, many of whom he named after his celebrity friends, joking that the names were meant to ensure that he’d never eat them. He always asked friends’ permission before naming animals after them, he said, and noted that “many of them then take an interest in their namesakes. Helena Bonham Carter is always keen to know if she’s calved again.”   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by SamNeillTheProp (@samneilltheprop)   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by SamNeillTheProp (@samneilltheprop) “I am so honored to have a pig named after me,” actress Annette Bening told Kelly Clarkson on her eponymous show in 2024 — and then revealed the reason she’d been so tickled to have Neill recognize her in that way. “Well, it’s Sam Neill! I mean, oh my god. I have a crush on him, I’m just going to put it out there,” she admitted. For Neill, the move to a simpler existence was about balance. He loved acting to the very end, but it was his animals and his wine-making venture that truly made him happy. As he told the West Australian, “I’d like the vineyard to support me but I’m afraid it is the other way round. It is not a very economic business.” As it turned out, he loved the feeling of caring for the land and creating something with his own sweat and toil. “It is a ridiculously time- and money-consuming business. I would not do it if it was not so satisfying and fun — and it gets me pissed once in a while,” he explained. “I wanted to produce a good pinot noir that would, at the very least, be enjoyed by my family and friends … Frankly, my friends will pretty much drink anything, so this didn’t seem too hard.” Neill was far from alone in his desire to embrace the simpler things. Story after story has surfaced in recent years highlighting celebrities making the move away from industry hubs such as New York and Los Angeles, particularly when it means they can raise their children away from the Hollywood bubble. What is it about the simpler existence that’s so appealing? Maybe Neill had it right all along: There’s something truly gratifying about the idea that you can pour your own blood, sweat, and tears into a project and create something that wasn’t there before — whether it be a healthy family, your own peace of mind, or just a really good pinot noir.