The Jurassic Park franchise has brought to the table a lot more than just some entertaining storylines, nail-biting plot twists, and stunning action sequences over the years. It also established what might be deemed a rather unusual romance in today’s day and age: the love affair between Sam Neill and Laura Dern in the very first installment. Back then, when the film hit the screens in the early 1990s, the love story felt like nothing out of the ordinary, despite the significant 20-year age gap between the actors and their characters.
However, as time progressed, even Neill and Dern couldn’t deny that what felt “completely appropriate” back then was not appreciated by all fans, a sentiment the pair themselves recalled. In the 1993 film, 26-year-old Laura Dern, who was 23 when she started shooting, portrayed Dr. Ellie Sattler, a paleobotanist and the deuteragonist. But that wasn’t her only role: she also served as the love interest of the much older scientist Dr. Alan Grant, the primary protagonist played by Sam Neill, who was 43 during the shoot. While working on the project and after the movie’s release, neither Dern nor Neill expressed concern about the significant age gap.
Yet, when the duo reunited to reprise their roles in Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World: Dominion, they couldn’t help but question if their previous choices were indeed the right ones. Sam Neill shared his reflections in an interview with The Sunday Times, where he confessed that he had always found their on-screen romance normal until he discovered his name on what he called the “Old Geezers and Gals” list alongside stars like Harrison Ford and the late Sean Connery. He recalled the moment with irony, saying, “I am 20 years older than Laura! Which at the time was a completely appropriate age difference for a leading man and lady.”
“It never occurred to me until I opened a magazine and there was an article called ‘Old Geezers and Gals,’” added the now 77-year-old star. “People like Harrison Ford and Sean Connery acting with much younger people. And there I was, on the list. I thought, ‘Come on. It can’t be true.’” Despite Neill’s desire to believe their love story was normal, he confronted the reality that public perception had shifted, with many questioning the validity of such age differences in romantic relationships.
Laura Dern echoed Neill’s sentiments, confessing that being cast as his love interest felt perfectly normal at the time. This perception persisted until decades later when she finally realized that their on-screen romance might indeed be considered questionable because of the 20-year age gap. Dern stated, “Well, it felt completely appropriate to fall in love with Sam. And it was only now, when we returned in a moment of cultural awareness about the patriarchy, that I was like, ‘Wow! We’re not the same age?’”
The original flick’s central romance, once seen as harmless, has since been reevaluated, not only by the fans but by its stars as well. This evolution in perspective sheds light on how Hollywood’s portrayal of age gap romances has been influenced by changing societal standards. Harrison Ford’s notable pairings with younger actresses may have set a precedent that contributed to the blurred lines between what is currently acceptable in cinematic relationships.
While time may not have been kind to the dinosaurs of the film, it has been even less forgiving to Hollywood’s outdated romances, with Neill and Dern’s iconic pairing standing as a prime example. As popular media continues to reflect and influence societal norms, the conversation surrounding age gap romances may evolve further, challenging traditional notions and prompting audiences to reconsider their views.
Jurassic Park can currently be watched on Amazon Prime, allowing new viewers to discover not only the adventure but also the complex dynamics of its character relationships, imbued with a sense of nostalgia and reevaluation of past norms, influenced significantly by figures like Harrison Ford.
