After winning the TV WEEK 2017 Logie for Best Actor for his role as Molly Meldrum in the TV mini-series Molly, the first thing he did was dedicate his win to his “beautiful sister Connie“.
Sam’s heartfelt dedication comes after Connie’s “three-decade long tousle” with cancer, and her decision to discontinue chemotherapy treatments.
“Rather than rolling over, she is going out blazing with an attempted world record for the longest line of coins,” Samuel explains, and the coins will be in “shape of a love heart, hopefully the biggest love heart this country has ever seen, made from five cent pieces […] with the entire proceeds going directly to our scientists and researchers.”
The pair are incredibly close.
“I thought maybe it was time to consider stopping treatment,” Connie recently told the Canberra Times.
“So we called a family meeting. And basically, it wasn’t my choice. I can’t have any more chemo medically. So that’s a game-changer.”
“The heart is being made in twelve days and … and I would like to urge any family watching, affected by cancer – or not – to join us in our quest to keep our families safe from the terrors of cancer,” Samuel said in his winning speech.
Late last year, Samuel announced his retirement from acting, in order to focus all his efforts on the charity Love Your Sister, raising awareness and support for Cancer research.
Samuel is in constant awe of his sister’s strength and her decision to fight her disease in the public eye.
“I couldn’t think of anything worse than getting cancer, and then dealing with it publicly,” Samuel explained to TV WEEK.
“My whole life is influenced by my sisters. I can’t really imagine anything happening without their positive influence” the actor said after his win.
“I’d say she made me stronger in every way. She made more capable at being able to complete a 16 thousand kilometre unicycling odyssey, she made strong enough to be able to even turn up for the test for this role, which I wasn’t going to do. I just couldn’t see it. The more I looked for Molly, the further away he got.”
What a night for the star!
In the media room after his big win, Samuel elaborated further on his retirement and new life purpose to raise 10 million dollars to fight cancer.
“I’ve made a promise to 380,000 Australians, I swore that I’d stick with them until we raise this 10 million, we are nearly at five so I’m hoping I can bring it home really quick and get back to work but you know, as long as it takes. It took us seven years to get to nearly halfway, so by the same numbers I’ll be away for another seven years – unless I get way better at what I do!”
But the actor got fired up when pressed further about his “retirement” from acting.
“I’m not taking calls, why would I say something and not do it?” He went on to say, “I’ve shown that I’m a man of my conviction, if I say that I’m retired while I raise this ten mil; I’m retired while I raise this ten mil. It’s pretty simple,” he snapped at a reporter.
“I’m off doing other s—t right now, I stand by it.”
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