Sam Neill slams ‘a dingo’s got my baby’ jokes out of respect for Lindy Chamberlain

‘I won’t stand for it’: Sam Neill slams ‘a dingo’s got my baby’ jokes and calls for people to stop making them out of respect for Lindy Chamberlain

Sam Neill has lashed out at those who make jokes about the death of Azaria Chamberlain, who was taken by a dingo in 1980. 

The actor, 73, says the insensitive ‘a dingo’s got my baby’ gags are hurtful to the child’s mother, Lindy Chamberlain, who was wrongly jailed for the child’s murder in 1982. 

‘It’s a sort of joke in America in particular, when they hear an Australian accent, someone will say, ‘a dingo’s got my baby,’ in Meryl’s accent. And people chuckle,’ he told The BINGE Guide on Sunday. 

Anger: Sam Neill (pictured) has lashed out at those who make jokes about the death of Azaria Chamberlain, who was taken by a dingo in 1980

‘But this was the moment a mother lost her child and I go, ‘Look, you know what? That isn’t funny. That isn’t funny at all. 

‘And I like to make people think about that. That it’s a horrible thing,’ adding firmly, ‘and I won’t stand for it.’  

It’s a subject close to Sam’s heart, as he starred in the 1988 film Evil Angels, in which he played Michael Chamberlain, alongside Meryl Streep, who played his wife Lindy. 

Sam also narrated the documentary ‘Lindy Chamberlain: The True Story,’ which aired on Sunday. 

Issues: The actor, 73, says the insensitive 'a dingo's got my baby' gags are hurtful to the child's mother, Lindy Chamberlain, who was wrongly jailed for the child's murder in 1982. Lindy is pictured with her husband Michael Chamberlain in 1982

Issues: The actor, 73, says the insensitive ‘a dingo’s got my baby’ gags are hurtful to the child’s mother, Lindy Chamberlain, who was wrongly jailed for the child’s murder in 1982. Lindy is pictured with her husband Michael Chamberlain in 1982

Respect: 'It's a sort of joke in America in particular, when they hear an Australian accent, someone will say, 'a dingo's got my baby,' in Meryl's accent. And people chuckle. 'But this was the moment a mother lost her child and I go, 'Look, you know what? That isn't funny. That isn't funny at all'

Respect: ‘It’s a sort of joke in America in particular, when they hear an Australian accent, someone will say, ‘a dingo’s got my baby,’ in Meryl’s accent. And people chuckle,’ he told The BINGE Guide on Sunday

It reveals new details of the family’s experience and home movies of Azaria. 

It will also show the impact of the case on Ms Chamberlain’s other children, Aidan, 46, Reagan, 44, and Kahlia, 37. 

Azaria was taken by a dingo while her parents Lindy and Michael slept on August 17, 1980, at a camping site by Uluru. 

Sam added: 'But this was the moment a mother lost her child and I go, 'Look, you know what? That isn't funny. That isn't funny at all'. I like to make people think about that. That it's a horrible thing,' adding firmly, 'and I won't stand for it.' Pictured: Lindy and Azaria Chamberlain in 1980

Sam added: ‘But this was the moment a mother lost her child and I go, ‘Look, you know what? That isn’t funny. That isn’t funny at all’. I like to make people think about that. That it’s a horrible thing,’ adding firmly, ‘and I won’t stand for it.’ Pictured: Lindy and Azaria Chamberlain in 1980

Role: It's a subject close to Sam's heart, as he starred in the 1988 film Evil Angels, in which he played Michael Chamberlain, alongside Meryl Streep, who played his wife Lindy. Pictured is a scene from the film

Role: It’s a subject close to Sam’s heart, as he starred in the 1988 film Evil Angels, in which he played Michael Chamberlain, alongside Meryl Streep, who played his wife Lindy. Pictured is a scene from the film 

Ms Chamberlain was accused of killing her child and jailed for life in a 1982 murder trial. Mr Chamberlain was also sentenced as an accessory.      

She was released in 1986 upon the sensational discovery of the baby’s yellow matinee jacket at the base of Uluru. 

The family were acquitted responsibility after a fourth coroner’s inquest in 2012 which found that Azaria died ‘as a result of being attacked and taken by a dingo’. 

Ruling: Ms Chamberlain (pictured) was accused of killing her child and jailed for life in a 1982 murder trial. She was released in 1986 upon the sensational discovery of the baby's yellow matinee jacket at the base of Uluru

Ruling: Ms Chamberlain (pictured) was accused of killing her child and jailed for life in a 1982 murder trial. She was released in 1986 upon the sensational discovery of the baby’s yellow matinee jacket at the base of Uluru

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