Jurassic Park Star Sam Neill Dies At 78

July 13, () — New Zealand actor, Sam Neill, best known for “Jurassic Park” and “The Piano”, has died aged 78.

His family announced his death in a statement shared on his social media accounts on Monday, July 13.

“It is with immense sadness that the whānau (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.

“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.”

No cause of death has been announced.

Neill revealed in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of blood cancer. Earlier this year, he announced that he was cancer-free after undergoing CAR-T cell therapy.

Born in Omagh, Northern Ireland, in 1947, Neill moved to New Zealand with his family when he was seven. He went on to become one of the country’s most respected actors, with a career spanning more than five decades.

He became known around the world as Dr Alan Grant in “Jurassic Park” (1993), a role he reprised in “Jurassic Park III” (2001) and “Jurassic World Dominion” (2022).

He also starred in “The Piano”, “The Hunt for Red October”, “Event Horizon”, “My Brilliant Career”, “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” and the TV series “Peaky Blinders”,

Outside acting, Neill owned the Two Paddocks winery in New Zealand’s Central Otago region and often shared life on his farm with fans.

Tributes have poured in from across the world.

New Zealand Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, described him as “one of the greats” who helped bring New Zealand stories to audiences around the world.

Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said Neill would be “much mourned and long remembered”, praising the dignity and humour he showed throughout his life and career.