Jurassic Park Star Sam Neill Dies at 78 Months After Being Declared Cancer-Free

Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor who played Dr. Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park films, has died at 78. His family said he passed away suddenly in Sydney, Australia, surrounded by loved ones. The death comes just months after Neill announced he was cancer-free following years of treatment for a rare blood cancer.

Neill’s family shared the news in a statement posted to his Instagram account. They said his passing was sudden and unexpected, and that he remained cancer-free right up to the end. The statement did not give a cause of death.

“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life,” the family wrote, thanking staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their care.

A career that spanned five decades

Born Nigel John Dermot Neill in Northern Ireland, he moved to New Zealand with his family at age 7 and later built one of the most versatile careers in film. He had more than 150 screen credits, including The Piano, The Hunt for Red October, Dead Calm, Event Horizon, and Peaky Blinders.

None of that matched the reach of Jurassic Park. His role as paleontologist Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 blockbuster made him a name recognized well beyond film circles, and he returned to the character across several sequels.

He was knighted by New Zealand in 2022 and had earlier received an OBE for his services to acting.

Tributes from co-stars

Laura Dern, who starred opposite Neill as Dr. Ellie Sattler, called him a beloved lifetime friend. Fellow New Zealander Karl Urban said Neill was a national treasure who gave so much to the world.

Neill had revealed in April that scans showed him cancer-free after a long fight with a rare blood cancer. He’d spoken about hoping for more time and had been looking forward to returning to work.

His family has asked for privacy as they process the loss. He is survived by his children and grandchildren.