Last updated on: January 22, 2025

Lisa Harrow is a New Zealand actress who has acted in both theater, film, and television. She became popular through roles in several Shakespeare plays and movies. She is also recognized for her marriage to actor Sam Neill with whom she has a son. Let’s get to know more about her life, career, and personal story.

Quick Facts About Lisa Harrow

Early Life and Education

Lisa Harrow was born on August 25, 1943, in Auckland, New Zealand. She showed a keen interest for acting since her very early days. Her immense talents were recognized early, and she received a scholarship from the New Zealand Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council. With this scholarship, she was studying at one of London’s most renowned venues, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, RADA. After this time of graduation, the year 1968, followed by the great opportunity in Royal Shakespeare Company in the year 1969, during which she set her feet well in acting.

Theatre

Lisa Harrow was known due to good performances in more than one performance of Shakespeare and other theatre performance. Some main roles of that time are:
Olivia for Twelfth Night.
The renowned role is still Desdemona in Othello.
Later, the position has developed to become renowned as Portia in The Merchant of Venice. She also played Juliet in Romeo and Juliet opposite John Hurt, one of the greatest actors of his generation. Other classic plays in which Lisa starred included Pygmalion and The Eagle Has Two Heads. All of these works at the stage got her appreciation from the critics as well as audiences.

Film and Television Career

Lisa Harrow also had a great career in film and television. She appeared in several films, including The Devil Is a Woman (1974), All Creatures Great and Small (1975), and The Last Days of Chez Nous (1992). For the role in The Last Days of Chez Nous, she was awarded an Australian Film Institute Award. Lisa also received recognition for her work in Sunday (1997), which screened at the Sundance Film Festival.

In the 1990s, Lisa began focusing more on television. She appeared in the popular TV series Kavanagh QC (1995) and later starred in Step Dave (2014). Her acting continued to earn praise as she took on different roles in various TV shows and movies.

Personal Life and Marriage to Sam Neill

It was 1981, and the set of Omen III: The Final Conflict was the place where Lisa Harrow met Sam Neill, a popular actor at the time. Lisa married him that year. A son, Tim Neill, joined them in 1983. They had an excellent relationship as well as marriage but divorced after being married for 11 years, finally, in 1989. Still, they maintained a professional lifestyle while raising their child.

Life After Sam Neill

Lisa Harrow married Sam Neill. She remarried in 1991 to Dr. Roger Payne, a renowned whale biologist. Lisa and Dr. Payne moved to the United States. Both of them were enthusiastic about environmental causes. Lisa joined the cause of environmentalism and even published a book titled What Can I Do? in 2004. This book motivated people to take action and help save the environment.

READ ALSO: Sam Neill Net worth, Age, Girlfriend, Family, Facts & More

Awards and Accolades

Lisa Harrow’s successful career has earned the respect of many people, and her work has been distinguished by numerous awards. She is actually one of New Zealand’s most talented and respected performers. Her theatrical, cinematic, and television work inspires new generations of actors. Besides her acting, she is recognized for her activities in favor of environmental causes. Lisa has also been awarded with being appointed as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in appreciation of her service to the arts and dedication towards the environment.

Source: celebs.infoseemedia.com