Jurassic Park star Sam Neill dies aged 78
Sam Neill has died at the age of 78.
The New Zealand-born actor, known for his roles in Peaky Blinders, The Piano and Jurassic Park, died 'suddenly and unexpectedly', according to a statement posted on his social media account.
"It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia," it read.
"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."
Neill shared in April 2026 that he was cancer free after undergoing a new treatment when chemotherapy stopped working on his stage-three blood cancer.
The actor revealed that he was being treated for stage-three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma in his 2023 memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?
“I’m not afraid to die, but it would annoy me,” he told The Guardian in 2023.
“Because I’d really like another decade or two, you know?
“We’ve built all these lovely terraces, we’ve got these olive trees and cypresses, and I want to be around to see it all mature. And I’ve got my lovely little grandchildren.
“I want to see them get big. But as for the dying? I couldn’t care less.”
Neill said to the BBC that he started writing his memoir to 'give me a reason to get through the day'.
"I thought I need to do something, and I thought, "Shall I start writing?'" he said.
"I didn't think I had a book in me, I just thought I'd write some stories. And I found it increasingly engrossing.
"A year later, not only have I written the book - I didn't have a ghostwriter - but it's come out in record time."
Neill's TV and film career spanned over five decades after he rose to fame in My Brilliant Career in 1979.
He went on to star in 1989's Dead Calm and The Hunt for Red October in 1990.
His most iconic role was Dr Alan Grant in 1993's Jurassic Park, which he reprised in later sequels.
Other standout performances included Possession, Event Horizon, The Tudors, and Peaky Blinders.
Topics: Celebrity, Film, Peaky Blinders, Jurassic Park
Anish Vij