In 1989, Sam Neill wed makeup artist Noriko Watanabe, and the two are parents to a daughter. Also, he took in Watanabe’s first marriage child as his own.

In 2017, Neill and Watanabe parted ways.

Sam Neill first wife: Who is Noriko Watanabe?

Noriko Watanabe, the ex-wife of Sam Neill, is a talented hairstylist and cosmetics artist who was born in Tokyo, Japan. It is unknown where she spent her formative years, however, she subsequently relocated to the US to further her profession.

Noriko has demonstrated her talent by working in the cosmetics department of various Hollywood movies.

After receiving praise for her contribution to the 1988 film The Eternal Secret Family, Noriko’s career really started to take off. Since then, she has performed makeup for a number of prestigious movies, individually styling A-list stars like Nicole Kidman, Kate Winslet, and Benedict Cumberbatch, among others. Noriko also contributed to the TV show Top of the Lake.

The Power of The Dog director Jane Campion, a longtime friend of Noriko’s, was recently presented with the esteemed Silver Lion award for Best Directing.

Jane and Noriko had a tight relationship because they both worked in the cosmetics department for the movie. She even shared a message of congratulations for her friend’s success on social media.

Also honored for her services to the film business is Noriko Watanabe. For the movie Hacksaw Ridge, she received a Hollywood Film Award in 2006 for Best Feature Hair and Makeup.

It’s interesting to note that Noriko and Sam Neill first connected while she was a makeup artist on the production of the 1989 film Dead Calm. Sam was taken to her beauty right away, and they eventually got married in a little ceremony.

Nevertheless, Noriko had previously been through a divorce and was the mother of a child named Maiko Spencer before she wed Sam.