New Zealand treasure Sam Neill, known for his roles in ‘Jurassic Park’ and 'The Piano', dies aged 78

The versatile actor best known for dodging velociraptors in the Jurassic Park films has died unexpectedly at the age of 78. New Zealand actor Sam Neill, best known for his roles in the Jurassic Park movies, The Paino, In The Mouth Of Madness and Event Horizon, has died aged 78. “It is with immense sadness that the whānau 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,” Neill’s family said in a statement on social media. “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.” In 2023 Neill disclosed that he had been diagnosed with cancer, describing it as "a ferocious type of aggressive" non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In April of this year he revealed that he was cancer free after undergoing CAR-T cell (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has mourned Neill, writing on X that he "starred in so many beloved Australian stories and he earned a special place in Australian hearts." The New Zealand actor was regarded as an honorary Australian by many due to his connections to the country. "Wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic, Sam fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance," Albanese added. "He will be much mourned and long remembered. May he rest in peace." Born on 14 September 1947 in Omagh, New Zealand, Neill won his first big international role in 1981 as Damien Thorn, the son of the devil, in Omen III: The Final Conflict. That same year, he played the co-lead in Andrzej Żuławski’s cult film Possession, starring Isabelle Adjani. After narrowly missing out on the role of James Bond when Roger Moore was thinking of bowing out of the role, he went on to play Sidney Reilly in the mini-series Reilly, Ace of Spies (1983), before earning acclaim for his roles in Dead Calm and The Hunt for the Red October. He found his biggest international audience for his portrayal of Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park (1993) - a role he reprised in subsequent movies Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic Park Dominion (2022). He also starred in The Piano (1993), directed by fellow New Zealander Jane Campion. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palme d’Or, before earning numerous accolades including three Academy Awards. One notable late career hit for Neill was the New Zealand production The Hunt For The Wilderpeople, directed by Taika Waititi. Later on, Neill would appear in various TV shows including The Tudors, Crusoe, Peaky Blinders, The Twelve and Untamed. His memoir “Did I Ever Tell You This?” came out in March 2023 and he was awarded a knighthood in recognition of his “outstanding contribution to film,” a title approved by the late Queen Elizabeth II. “I can’t pretend that the last year hasn’t had its dark moments,” Neill told The Guardian in 2023, referring to his cancer diagnosis and treatment. “But those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief, you know, and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends.” Neill had completed filming on two upcoming productions, Godzilla v Kong: Supernova and The Last Resort. Both are in post-production and will be his last appearances on the big screen. Neill is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.