Sam Neill, internationally renowned for his role in the Jurassic Park franchise and the television drama Peaky Blinders, has died in Sydney, Australia, aged 78, per deadline.com.
His family announced that he passed away suddenly but unexpectedly on July 13, surrounded by his relatives.
A statement released by the New Zealand actor’s family confirmed he died with dignity at St Vincent’s Private Hospital. The family noted that the actor remained free of cancer following a long, public battle with blood cancer, which he had successfully managed earlier this year through participation in Australian clinical trials.
Tributes have poured in following his passing, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praising Neill for his significant contribution to the nation’s cultural landscape. Mr Albanese remarked that the actor earned a special place in local hearts, fighting his illness with characteristic dignity, humour and conviction.
Born Nigel John Dermot Neill in Omagh, Northern Ireland, in 1947, he moved to New Zealand with his family in 1954. He relocated to Australia in the late 1970s to advance his acting career, securing international recognition in Gillian Armstrong’s 1979 film My Brilliant Career.
Neill’s prolific 45-year career spanned independent films and major Hollywood blockbusters. He achieved global fame as paleontologist Dr Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park (1993), later reprising the role in 2001 and 2022. His diverse filmography also included Dead Calm (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990) and Jane Campion’s The Piano (1993), alongside his television role as Major Chester Campbell in Peaky Blinders.
The actor was knighted as a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2022 for his services to acting.
Beyond his film career, he founded the Two Paddocks vineyard in New Zealand. He is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.
•Featured image: Sam Neill/Jeff Vespa/WireImage