Steven Spielberg makes 'generous donation' to Central Otago gold mine opponents

Author: Lochlan Lineham,
Publish Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2026, 4:03pm

Hollywood heavyweight Steven Spielberg said the donation was made in memory of New Zealand actor Sir Sam Neill.

Hollywood heavyweight Steven Spielberg has made a “generous donation” to a group opposed to the proposed Central Otago gold mine.

Sustainable Tarras said it was “deeply touched” to receive the contribution from the director’s production company, Amblin Entertainment, which he founded in 1975.

It said the donation was made in memory of New Zealand actor Sir Sam Neill.

“Sam’s passing has led to an outpouring of affection for a man who had an impact on so many people. The famous director was no exception,” Sustainable Tarras wrote on social media.

Neill, 78, died of pneumonia on July 13 while in Sydney. His death sparked a rush of donations to the Stop Central Otago Gold Mine campaign, run by Sustainable Tarras, with many donors specifically referencing the actor and his opposition to the development.

Neill was a vocal opponent of Santana Minerals’ project, describing the planned open-cast mine as a threat to the region he called home.

Spielberg’s donation has honoured Neill’s legacy – “not just in opposing the economic degradation of New Zealand’s unique and stunning landscapes, but in all the work he did for his community and for the environment,” the group said.

The two first worked together on the 1993 dinosaur blockbuster Jurassic Park.

“We’re deeply grateful to Steven Spielberg and the whole Amblin Entertainment team for such a generous and heartfelt tribute, and for helping continue work that meant so much to Sam.

“It’s yet another reminder of the incredible impact Sir Sam Neill had in his lifetime – and after his passing.”

Santana Minerals has been approached for comment.

The two first worked together on the 1993 dinosaur blockbuster Jurassic Park, in which Neill played the lead role of Dr Alan Grant in the Spielberg-directed classic.

After Neill’s death, the 79-year-old director remembered him as “exceptionally collaborative”.

“It was a stretch for him to play a character who acted as though children were messy and smelly because this was the opposite of the loving father he was to his children,” he said in a statement.

Earlier this year, the actor said he stood by his opposition to the project after receiving personal online abuse.

“I stand by those views, and I’m glad I voiced them. What I wasn’t prepared for was the personal abuse I would come in for,” Neill said.

Supporters of the mine argue the project could deliver jobs, higher wages and economic activity.

Opponents say the scale of the proposed open-cast operation risks permanently altering the region and creates impacts for water, agriculture, tourism and the wider community.

The project is being assessed through the Government’s Fast-track Approvals process.