Sam Neill Dies at the age of 78, with the family of the celebrated New Zealand actor confirming his passing in Sydney, Australia, on Monday, 13 July 2026.

The actor, best known worldwide for portraying Dr Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, died after receiving medical care at St Vincent’s Private Hospital, with his family describing his death as “sudden and unexpected”.

A statement from his family said Neill was surrounded by loved ones during his final moments and noted that the actor had remained cancer-free after previous treatment for lymphoma.

“It is with immense sadness that the whanau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13 July, in Sydney Australia,” the statement said, using the Māori word for family.

The statement did not disclose the exact cause of death but confirmed that Neill had been receiving treatment at the Sydney hospital. His family said he passed “with the dignity that has characterised his whole life”.

Tributes quickly followed from political leaders in New Zealand and Australia, with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon describing Neill as “one of the greats”.

Luxon praised the actor’s contribution to international cinema and his role in promoting New Zealand’s film industry globally.

“For more than fifty years he took New Zealand stories to the world and his talents helped make our film industry into what it is today,” Luxon said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also paid tribute, saying Neill had a special place in Australian hearts and praising the humour and strength he brought to his performances and personal life.

Born in Northern Ireland in 1947, Nigel John Dermot Neill moved to New Zealand as a child and later adopted the name Sam.

He began acting in New Zealand productions during the 1970s before building an international career across film and television.

Neill’s global breakthrough came in 1993 when he starred as palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, a role that made him one of the most recognisable faces in modern science-fiction cinema.

He later returned to the franchise in additional instalments, including Jurassic Park III and Jurassic World Dominion.

Beyond the dinosaur franchise, Neill built an extensive career spanning more than five decades. His credits included The Hunt for Red October, the acclaimed drama The Piano, and the television series Peaky Blinders, where he gained a new generation of fans.

He remained closely connected to New Zealand cinema, supporting local productions and earning praise for his performances in films such as Hunt for the Wilderpeople, directed by Taika Waititi.

Neill revealed in his 2023 memoir that he had been diagnosed with stage-three non-Hodgkin lymphoma and had begun writing the book while undergoing chemotherapy after fearing his condition could become life-threatening. However, he later announced that treatment had left him cancer-free.

Away from acting, Neill was also known for running vineyards in New Zealand’s Central Otago region, where he spent time pursuing his passion for winemaking and rural life.

His death marks the end of a remarkable career that connected New Zealand storytelling with audiences around the world.