Acting legend Sam Neill was renowned as a leading man of global stature, but it was the way he treated an extra on a WA film set that really portrayed his true character.

Mr Neill’s extraordinary kindness and sense of decency was evident in the way he comforted Perth-based actor Chris Thomas on the set of a locally filmed court-room drama The Twelve.

Mr Neill played the Logie-winning lead role of barrister Brett Colby for the Australian television drama series on Fox Showcase, while Mr Thomas played the non-speaking role of a courtroom security guard.

The pair did not speak over several days of filming in WA in 2023 until the final night when the entire crew was under immense pressure to wrap up the final scenes.

But when Mr Thomas was blasted by a senior member of the film crew for struggling to properly use a set of handcuffs at the end of a 13 hour-day, he ended up walking off the set.

The leading man followed the non-speaking extra off set, patted him on the back and reassured him he was doing a great job and did not deserve to be treated so poorly.

Mr Thomas returned to set to complete the scene, and did not expect to hear from Mr Neill again.

But he was surprised the following day to get a text message from Mr Neill, especially as it meant that the actor would have gone to considerable effort to track his number down.

The text message read: “Chris, this is Sam. I hope this is the right number and I hope you are ok today. Yesterday was wrong for you at work. None of it was fair. I felt very badly for you. And I hope I did a little to cheer you up,” started the text.

“You have been immaculate all these weeks, always fully concentrating and doing your job well.

“I am glad you came back into court. That took some doing, it was the right thing to do, and I take my hat off to you for that.

“Good man. All the best mate. Sam N.”

Mr Neill then followed up with another text the same evening.

“Mate, don’t sweat it. Everyone understood and felt for you. You did NOT do the wrong thing leaving the court. You were asked to do something, cuff somebody, that you need training for. That was wrong. And (name redacted) shouted at you unfairly.

“That was wrong. No damage done at all for your rep. Do not lose any sleep over this mate. Sam.”

Mr Thomas said in a social media post that his respect for Mr Neill became even greater after the incident.

“Although I always found it hilarious he signed it “Sam N” – as if I might not know who he was,’ Mr Thomas said.