Actor Sam Neill, best known for his role in the blockbuster 'Jurassic Park', died of pneumonia, his agent confirmed. Neill, aged 78, passed away in Australia. Prior to his death, he had successfully battled lymphoma using a new treatment called CAR-T therapy and was cancer-free. His family announced his passing and plans for a private ceremony in New Zealand.
Neill's agent, Philip Grenz, clarified in a statement to Radio New Zealand that the actor died from pneumonia. 'Sam passed away from pneumonia. Prior to becoming sick, Sam had valiantly fought and beaten lymphoma through a new treatment called CAR-T therapy,' Grenz said.
The actor's family shared that Neill had filmed four projects in the past year, which would be released in the coming months. Neill, who was born in Northern Ireland in 1947 and moved to New Zealand as a child, had revealed in a 2023 memoir that he was battling stage-three non-Hodgkin lymphoma. However, he declared himself cancer-free earlier this year thanks to the innovative genetic therapy.
Tributes have poured in from friends, colleagues, and Hollywood's biggest names, including director Steven Spielberg and fellow 'Jurassic Park' actors Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum. Neill's career spanned decades, starting with New Zealand films in the early 1970s before moving into larger roles in Australia. His breakthrough came in 1993 with 'Jurassic Park', where he played Dr. Alan Grant.
When not acting, Neill was involved in running vineyards in New Zealand's Central Otago region. His family will honor him with a private memorial at his farm in New Zealand at a later, undetermined date.
