Jurassic Park star Sam Neill dies, aged 78
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Sam Neill had undergone treatment in recent years for lymphoma, but declared in 2026 that he was cancer-free.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Sam Neill, famous for Jurassic Park, died suddenly at age 78 in Sydney, despite being declared cancer-free earlier this year after lymphoma treatment.
- Neill was celebrated by New Zealand and Australian leaders for his impact on film and culture, with tributes highlighting his dignity and humour.
- He had a long career in film and TV, supported local New Zealand productions, and also managed vineyards in Central Otago, naming animals after co-stars.
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SYDNEY – Jurassic Park star Sam Neill died in Australia on July 13, aged 78, his family said in a statement that described the beloved actor’s death as “sudden and unexpected”.
The New Zealander had undergone treatment in recent years for lymphoma, but declared in 2026 that he was cancer-free.
“It is with immense sadness that the whanau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday, July 13, in Sydney, Australia,” the statement read, using the New Zealand Maori word for family.
“The loss was sudden and unexpected, but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer-free.”
The statement did not elaborate on the cause of his death, but said he had been treated at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Sydney. However, his friend, New Zealand actress Rima Te Wiata, reportedly said he battled pneumonia before he died.
“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life,” the statement added.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Neill was “one of the greats”.
“For more than 50 years, he took New Zealand stories to the world, and his talents helped make our film industry into what it is today – one of our greatest cultural exports,” Luxon said in a statement.
“His work will be watched and loved long after all of us.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Neill held 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,” Albanese said.
“He will be much mourned and long remembered.”
Fellow Kiwi actor Karl Urban said Neill “was truly brilliant”, while Australian actor David Wenham said he was “the kindest, cheekiest, most generous and supportive friend going around”.
‘Great enthusiasm’
Neill was born in Northern Ireland in 1947, but moved to the rugged South Island of New Zealand as a child.
He was christened Nigel John Dermot, but ditched the name in favour of Sam because he feared it was too effete for New Zealand.
“I encouraged the nickname because I thought I would be slightly less likely to be victimised,” he told New Zealand’s Otago Daily Times.
“I clung on to Sam with great enthusiasm.”
He started acting in New Zealand films in the early 1970s, before moving on to larger roles in Australia.
His breakthrough as a leading man came in 1993, when he played Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s Hollywood blockbuster Jurassic Park.
At one point, he was even touted as a replacement for Roger Moore in the iconic role of James Bond.
“I really did not want that part,” he said in 2023.
“My friend Pierce Brosnan wanted it so much. I was so relieved they offered it to someone else. They’re welcome to it.”
In a career spanning dozens of roles across TV and film, Neill also starred in Peaky Blinders (2013 to 2026), The Hunt For Red October (1990) and two more instalments of the Jurassic Park franchise.
He greatly endeared himself to New Zealanders by lending his star power to local productions as well.
His performance in Jane Campion’s The Piano (1993) drew wide acclaim, as did his role in Taika Waititi’s 2016 film Hunt For The Wilderpeople.
Sam Neill in Taika Waititi’s 2016 film Hunt For The Wilderpeople.
PHOTO: THE PROJECTOR
Neill revealed in a 2023 memoir that he was “possibly dying” with stage three non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
In the opening chapter, written while undergoing chemotherapy, he said: “The thing is, I’m crook. Possibly dying. I may have to speed this up.”
But in 2026, he revealed that he was cancer-free, thanks to a genetic therapy that modified his immune system.
“I was at a loss and it looked like I was on the way out, which wasn’t ideal, obviously,” he told Australia’s Channel Seven News.
“I’ve just had a scan and there is no cancer in my body – that’s an extraordinary thing,” he said.
When he was not acting, Neill ran vineyards in the picturesque Central Otago region of New Zealand’s South Island.
He named farm animals on his property after his co-stars, including a chicken named after Laura Dern and a cow named for Helena Bonham Carter.
Neill, who was married and divorced twice, is survived by two sons and two daughters. AFP
