Sam Neill, the New Zealand-born actor whose career spanned international hits including Jurassic Park and The Piano, died suddenly and unexpectedly on Monday in Sydney at the age of 78. His family said he remained cancer-free at the time of his death, having announced in April that treatment for stage 3 blood cancer had left him free of disease.
Neill passed away surrounded by family at St Vincent's private hospital in Sydney. He had lived with a form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma for roughly five years before disclosing the diagnosis in his 2023 memoir. Born in Northern Ireland, Neill launched his acting career in New Zealand before breaking through globally with roles in The Hunt for Red October, The Piano, and Jurassic Park.
Tributes were led by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who posted condolences on social media.