Jurassic Park star Sam Neill dies aged 78
Jurassic Park star Sir Sam Neill has died aged 78, with his family saying the actor passed away suddenly despite recently announcing he was cancer-free.
Sir Sam Neill, the acclaimed New Zealand actor best known for his roles in the Jurassic Park films, The Piano and Peaky Blinders, has died at the age of 78.
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His family announced that he died on Monday, 13 July, in Sydney, Australia, surrounded by loved ones.
In a statement, they described his passing as "sudden and unexpected", adding that he had remained cancer-free after successfully undergoing treatment for an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Neill revealed in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with stage-three blood cancer, but earlier this year confirmed he was in remission following CAR-T cell therapy.
Born in Northern Ireland in 1947, Neill moved to New Zealand as a child and went on to build a career spanning more than five decades.
He appeared in over 150 film and television productions, earning international recognition as palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park and later reprising the role in two sequels.
His extensive career also included acclaimed performances in The Piano, The Hunt for Red October, Dead Calm, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, The Tudors and Peaky Blinders.
In 2022, he was knighted in recognition of his services to acting.
Following the news, tributes poured in from around the world.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described Neill as a much-loved actor who faced illness with "dignity, humour and conviction", saying he would be "long remembered".
Neill is survived by his four children and six grandchildren.
His family has asked for privacy as they mourn his loss.