Alternate casting

Before Sam Neill landed the role of Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, the part was offered to several major Hollywood names.

Harrison Ford and William Hurt were both considered but ultimately declined.

With filming just weeks away, Neill impressed Steven Spielberg and was cast - though he later admitted to feeling unsure about stepping into the role.

He recalled: “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.”