Unexpected news this morning. Sadly, Jurassic Park and Peaky Blinders star Sam Neill has died aged 78.
The Northern Ireland-born New Zealand actor was best known for his leading roles in the Jurassic franchise and The Piano, and appeared in more than 50 films over his career. He also once auditioned for James Bond.
Neill was arguably New Zealand’s most successful acting export. His family said his death had been “sudden and unexpected”.
Neill was diagnosed with stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2022, but had been cancer free.
The statement said:
“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia.
Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life.
The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.
They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their incredible care.
More details will be shared later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to Neill as “wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic”.
“Sam Neill starred in so many beloved Australian stories and he earned a special place in Australian hearts.
Wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic, Sam fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance. He will be much mourned and long remembered. May he rest in peace.”
Neill was one of the wave of actors from Australasia who swept into Hollywood in the 1970s and 1980s, alongside Paul Hogan, Mel Gibson, and Geoffrey Rush.
He starred in horror sequel Omen III: The Final Conflict, and Phillip Noyce’s 1989 thriller Dead Calm, in which he co-starred with a then-relatively unknown Nicole Kidman. He also starred with Meryl Streep twice, including in A Cry in the Dark, based on the true story of a dingo killing a baby in the Australian Outback.
He was also a key supporting actor in Outpost favorite The Hunt For Red October.
Outside of acting, he was a keen musician and owned a vineyard.
Sam Neill is survived by eight grandchildren.
