New Zealand Actor Sam Neill Dies at 78 in Sydney

New Zealand actor Sam Neill died Monday in Sydney at age 78. His family said the death was sudden and unexpected, though he remained cancer-free after treatment for a rare lymphoma. The family statement posted on his social media account said Neill was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that had characterized his life.

Staff at St Vincent's Private Hospital in the Darlinghurst suburb of Sydney received thanks for their care. Neill is survived by four children and eight grandchildren. He was born Nigel John Dermot Neill on September 14, 1947, in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

His family moved to New Zealand when he was seven. Neill attended the University of Canterbury. Neill made his first screen appearance in the 1971 television film The City of No. Early film roles included Sleeping Dogs in 1977 and Omen III: The Final Conflict in 1981.

He gained international recognition as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park in 1993, a role he reprised in Jurassic Park III in 2001 and Jurassic World Dominion in 2022. Other notable performances included The Piano in 1993.

His memoir Did I Ever Tell You This? was published in March 2023. Neill received an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1991 and a knighthood as Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his contributions to film.

He completed filming on Godzilla v Kong: Supernova and The Last Resort, both still in post-production. Neill was diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma in 2022. He underwent CAR-T cell therapy and announced he was cancer-free in April 2026.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Neill starred in so many beloved Australian stories and earned a special place in Australian hearts. Albanese described him as wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic, adding that Neill fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance.