Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor best known for playing Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise, has died at the age of 78, his family has announced
Actor Sam Neill has passed away at the age of 78, his family has confirmed.
The cherished New Zealand star, renowned for his portrayal of Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park series, died on Monday, July 13, in Sydney, Australia.
His family released a statement revealing Neill was with his loved ones at the time of his death and described the loss as “sudden and unexpected”.
They went on to say he had stayed cancer free and expressed thanks to the medical team who looked after him.
The statement said: “It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia.
“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.”
Neill’s career stretched across more than 50 years, establishing him as one of New Zealand’s most familiar faces on screen. He achieved worldwide recognition playing palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant in the 1993 smash hit Jurassic Park, going on to reprise the character in Jurassic Park III and Jurassic World Dominion.
Beyond the dinosaur series, he featured in numerous celebrated films and TV programmes, such as The Hunt for Red October, The Piano, Event Horizon, Peaky Blinders and The Tudors.
In 2023, Neill disclosed he had been diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer but subsequently confirmed his treatment had proved effective and that he was in remission.
Additional details regarding his death have not been made public at this time.
