Jurassic Park actor Sam Neill dies aged 78
Renowned New Zealand actor Sam Neill, known for his roles in Jurassic Park and The Piano, has died at age 78. His family described the death as sudden and unexpected, noting he had previously been treated for a rare form of lymphoma.
Why it matters
Sam Neill was a significant figure in international cinema, and his passing marks the loss of a major cultural contributor to the Australian and New Zealand film industries.
Death of New Zealand actor in Sydney was ‘sudden and unexpected’, according to a family statement.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Sam Neill attends the "Blackbird" premiere during the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, at Roy Thomson Hall on September 06, 2019, in Toronto, Canada [Emma McIntyre/Getty] By Al Jazeera Staff , AFP and AP Published On 13 Jul 2026 13 Jul 2026 New Zealand actor Sam Neill, known for the films “Jurassic Park” and “The Piano”, has died aged 78, his family said.
His death in Sydney was “sudden and unexpected”, according to a statement posted to the actor’s social media page on Monday.
In 2023, Neill disclosed he had been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
His family’s statement said he “remained cancer free” when he died and did not specify a cause of death.
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