In the original “Jurassic Park” back in 1993, LAURA DERN and SAM NEILL were love interests . . . even though Laura was 23 and Sam was 44.

But things are a little different in Hollywood, and they acknowledged that in a new interview.

In an interview with Britain’s “Sunday Times”, Sam said, quote, “Laura was a tender age.  I am 20 years older than Laura!  Which at the time was a completely appropriate age difference for a leading man and lady! . . .

“It never occurred to me until I opened a magazine and there was an article called ‘Old geezers and gals’.  People like Harrison Ford and Sean Connery acting with much younger people . . . And there I was, on the list.”

Laura didn’t think too much of the age difference at the time, either.  She said, quote, “It was only now, when we returned in a moment of cultural awareness about the patriarchy, that I was, like, ‘Wow!  We’re not the same age?'”

(BuzzFeed)