THE GOOD WIFE SAM NEILL (Neville Gifford) Sam Neill stars as Neville Gifford, the charming but cold lady killer who becomes the focus of Marge’s (Rachel Ward) obsession, in "THE GOOD WIFE" Neill was born in Northern Ireland in 1948, where his father was serving with the British Army. When Neill was eight his father decided to move back to his native New Zealand. There, Neill was sent to boarding school where he developed an early interest in drama. He became serious about acting while an undergraduate at the University of Canterbury. Upon graduation, he toured for a year with the Players Drama Quintet, then spent two years with Amamus Theatre, playing such roles as Macbeth and Pentheus in 'The Bacchae' In the early 1970's, Neill progressed into films, joining the New Zealand Film Unit, where he combined acting with documentaries on the subjects that interested him the most-architecture, skiing and the life of the theatrical company. Neill acted on television and appeared in the New Zealand films CASHES"'LUCINDA BRAYFORD," and 'SLEEPING DOGS") before being cast in the internationally acclaimed "MY BRILLIANT CAREER." Neill came to England in 1980 and won the lead in 'THE FINAL CONFLICT," the third film in the "OMEN" series. This was followed by Andrejz Zuwalski's "POSSESSION" co-starring Isabelle Adjani; Krzyzst of Zanussi's innovative television biography of Pope John Paul 11, "FROM A FAR COUNTRY;" Jeannot Szwarc's 'ENIGMA" and the television film "IVANHOE" He spent the next nine months working on the Thames Television series "REILLY- ACE OF SPIES" then returned to his birthplace to play Mr. Gentleman in the Edna O'Brien autobiography, "THE COUNTRY GIRLS" Neill's next major film part came in PLENTY, co- starring Meryl Streep. This was followed by the enormously successful TV miniseries "KANE AND ABEL, " in which he co-starred with Peter Strauss. Neill relished playing the role of Neville in "THE GOOD WIFE." "Neville is a wonderful character," Neill says, "because he's very multilayered. He’s not just a sleaze bag. There are tragic dimensions to him, too. There’s a side of his life that's pathetic. Something happened to Neville that's left him emotionally crippled" Neill continues: "Neville is condemned to a life on the road, really. There’s something desperately sad about a man who is always having to pack his bags because he has outstayed his welcome. Though, in an odd way, you get the feeling that Neville, like most people in that situation, has engineered his own downfall. Neville has a compulsive need for women. But he hates them and probably wants to hurt them at the same time." Neville’s mustache, with it's 'Clark Gable insouciance,' was Neill's idea. So were the two rings that Neville flashes, so incongruous compared to the work-scarred hands of the timber cutters. 'The rings came from a teacher we had at my primary school. There were two brothers who taught there. Both were bachelors. Both were very suave, both wore Brylcreem, both had a slightly disreputable air about them, and both wore rings. I remember very distinctly, big square jade rings." Neill presently resides in London with actress Lisa Harrow and their son, Tim. He would next like to direct and has recently completed a screenplay, which he hopes to see produced in the near future.