A-lister candidates

Before Sam Neill was cast as Doctor Alan Grant, the part had been offered to several Hollywood stars.

Both Harrison Ford and William Hurt were considered for the role, though both ultimately turned down the project.

Then, just weeks before filming began, Sam won over Steven Spielberg, though admitted he wasn’t entirely sure comfortable being in the movie.

He recounted: “I was racked by the usual insecurities, ‘Why me? I’m certainly not an action hero.’

“The idea of me going hand to hand with Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger is simply absurd.

“I’m more of the ordinary guy on screen. If indeed I was supposed to be that sort of action guy, I was already, I think, 45 years old, and as always had left things about ten or fifteen years too late.”