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Tributes pour in for Sam Neill as Jurassic Park star dies aged 78
13 July 2026, 10:22
Sam Neill has passed away aged 78.
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Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor best known around the world for his role as palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise, has died aged 78.
The actor’s family confirmed his death in a statement shared on his official Instagram account on Monday (July 13), revealing that he passed away in Sydney, Australia, surrounded by loved ones.
No cause of death has been disclosed, although Sam had previously revealed he had been diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer and later announced he was cancer-free.
“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney, Australia,” the statement said, using 'whānau', the Māori word for family.
“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.”
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to the star on X, describing him as an actor who “earned 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,” he wrote.
Alan Cumming stated: "Ahhh Sam, what a glorious beautiful man. You are missed. Sorry to the family for your immense loss."
With New Zealand Prime Miniter Christopher Luxon: "Sir Sam Neill was one of the greats. He started out when there was barely a film industry in this country to speak of. For more than fifty 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."
Born in Northern Ireland and raised in New Zealand, Sam enjoyed a career spanning more than 50 years across film and television.
He first gained international attention with 1977 thriller Sleeping Dogs, before becoming a household name as Dr Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s groundbreaking 1993 dinosaur epic Jurassic Park.
He later returned to the role in Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022), alongside Laura Dern’s Dr Ellie Sattler, with their characters becoming one of cinema’s most beloved pairings.
Away from the franchise, Sam appeared in a wide range of acclaimed projects including The Omen III: The Final Conflict, Dead Calm, The Hunt for Red October, The Piano, Event Horizon, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, The Tudors and Peaky Blinders.
He was also considered for the role of James Bond in the 1980s, screen-testing to replace Roger Moore before producers ultimately chose Timothy Dalton.
In 2023, Sam revealed he had been diagnosed with stage-three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
He later said CAR T-cell therapy had successfully left him cancer-free.
Watch Sam Neill in Jurassic Park (1993):
Jurassic Park (1993) - Welcome to Jurassic Park Scene | Movieclips
“I’ve had a scan just now, and there is no cancer in my body. This is an extraordinary thing,” he shared.
Sam was knighted in 2022 after receiving the title of Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to film.
He continued environmental activism until his death and is survived by his four children and grandchildren.
