The actor Sam Neill, who was known for his roles in several Jurassic Park films and the Peaky Blinders TV series, has died at the age of 78.
A family statement said he died on Monday, July 13, in Sydney, surrounded by loved ones.
It shared: “It is with immense sadness that the whānau [extended family] of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney, Australia.
“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life.
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“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.”
The life and career of Sam Neill
Born in Northern Ireland to an English mother and New Zealand father, Neill moved to Christchurch in 1954.
He studied at the University of Canterbury, where he acted in drama society productions before beginning a career in New Zealand television and film in the early 1970s.
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He first gained major recognition for Sleeping Dogs and went on to star in My Brilliant Career, Omen III: The Final Conflict, Possession, and Attack Force Z.
Neill came to international prominence with the role of Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, which he reprised in later films in the series.
Other notable films included The Piano, The Hunt for Red October, Dead Calm, Event Horizon, In the Mouth of Madness, and Peter Rabbit.
UK audiences also knew him as Major Chester Campbell in the first two series of Peaky Blinders.
In March 2023, Neill revealed that he had been undergoing chemotherapy since March 2022 after being diagnosed with stage 3 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.
In April 2026, he said chemotherapy had stopped working, so he underwent CAR T-cell therapy as part of an Australian clinical trial.
A scan later showed he was cancer-free.
Neill had advocated for wider access to the treatment for blood cancer patients in Australia and New Zealand.
What was your favourite Sam Neill film or TV show? Let us know in the comments.
