Jurassic Park and Peaky Blinders star Sam Neill died at age 78, his family confirmed.
“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia,” a statement shared via his Instagram page on Monday, July 13 read.
The social media post featured the word whānau, which translates to family in Māori, a language traditionally spoken in New Zealand.
“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life,” the statement continued. “The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.”
The family added, “They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their incredible care.”
As the statement concluded, Niell’s family shared that “more details will be shared later.” However, they asked for privacy to “navigate this immeasurable loss.”
Neill was known for his role as Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park film series, a role he originated in 1993. He appeared in two other Jurassic Park films — 2001’s Jurassic Park III and 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion — and reprised the role.
The actor revealed in his 2023 memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?, that he had been diagnosed with stage-three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of cancer that affects the lymphatic system and white blood cells. Neill first experienced symptoms, including swollen glands, while promoting Jurassic World Dominion in March 2022.
After discovering his condition, Neill began receiving chemotherapy, but the process failed after three months, so he tried an anti-cancer drug, which required him to get infusions every two weeks indefinitely. The treatment led to his cancer going into remission, but his doctors informed him that at some stage in his illness, the drug would stop working.
“I’m prepared for that,” he told Australian Story in October 2023, acknowledging that it would be “annoying” to die because he still felt he had more to accomplish but insisting that he was “not remotely afraid” of death.
In the meantime, Neill noted that he was not focused on his diagnosis. “I know I’ve got it, but I’m not really interested in it,” he said. “It’s out of my control. If you can’t control it, don’t get into it.”
Still, Neill confessed in March 2023 that the ordeal had a lasting impact on his life. “I can’t pretend that the last year hasn’t had its dark moments,” he told The Guardian at the time. “But those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief, you know, and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends. Just pleased to be alive.”
Born in Ireland — where his New Zealand army officer father was stationed at the time — in September 1947, Neill got his big break in New Zealand in the 1977 film Sleeping Dogs. He later landed international roles in 1981’s Omen III: The Final Conflict, 1981’s Possession, 1989’s Dead Calm, 1990’s The Hunt for Red October, 1993’s The Piano and 1994’s In the Mouth of Madness.
In addition to his film credits, Neill also appeared on popular TV shows such as The Tudors, Merlin and Apples Never Fall.
Neill is survived by his four children: son Tim, whom he shares with ex Lisa Harrow, daughters Elena and Maiko, whom he shares with ex Noriko Watanabe, and son Andrew, whom he fathered and placed for adoption in his early 20s.
