Sam Neill, the celebrated New Zealand actor whose career spanned more than five decades, has died at the age of 78, his family announced on Monday.
Neill died suddenly in Sydney, with his family describing his passing as "sudden and unexpected." They said he was surrounded by loved ones and had remained cancer-free following his public battle with blood cancer, reports BBC.
Neill revealed in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Earlier this year, he announced that he was cancer-free after undergoing treatment.
Best known for portraying Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, Neill also starred in acclaimed films including The Piano, The Hunt for Red October, and the television series Peaky Blinders.
Over a career spanning more than 50 films, he became one of New Zealand's most internationally recognized actors.
Tributes poured in following news of his death. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described Neill as "one of the greats," while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the actor had "earned a special place in Australian hearts." Fellow actor Karl Urban called him a "national treasure," and actor Toni Collette wrote: "I love you, dear Sam."
