What To Know
- Sam Neill, acclaimed for his roles in Jurassic Park and Peaky Blinders, died suddenly at age 78 in Sydney, Australia.
- Neill had previously battled and gone into remission from a rare blood cancer.
- Tributes from co-stars and friends highlighted Neill’s legacy as a beloved actor and influential figure in the film industry.
Sam Neill, the actor who played Alan Grant in Jurassic Park and Major Chester Campbell in the first two seasons of Peaky Blinders, has died. He was 78.
The New Zealand-based actor’s family shared a statement on Instagram on Monday (July 13), noting that his death was “sudden and unexpected.”
“It is with immense sadness that the whānau [extended family] of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia,” the statement read. “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,” the statement continued. “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 was diagnosed with stage 3 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare blood cancer, in 2022. He underwent chemotherapy in 2023 and later revealed that the cancer was in remission. However, he said that he would still require monthly chemotherapy for the rest of his life.
Back in April, the Golden Globe-nominated actor revealed that he underwent CAR T-cell therapy as part of an Australian clinical trial after the chemo had stopped working. He said that a recent scan showed no cancer in his body.
Born on September 14, 1947, in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, Neill would move with his family to New Zealand in 1954. While studying at the University of Canterbury, Neill appeared in several university productions, including playing Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the titular Macbeth.
His first on-screen role came in the New Zealand television film The City of No in 1971. After a string of shorts and TV films, Neill’s breakthrough performance came in Sleeping Dogs (1977), the first New Zealand film to be widely screened overseas.
Sam Neill in Jurassic Park; Everett Collection
Neill later moved to Australia, where he earned global recognition for his performance opposite Judy Davis in Gillian Armstrong’s My Brilliant Career (1979). His international roles grew from there, including performances as Damien Thorn in Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981) and as Mark in Andrzej Żuławski’s cult hit Possession (1981).
After losing out on the role of James Bond to Timothy Dalton, Neill would go on to land one of his most recognizable roles, portraying Alan Grant in the Steven Spielberg blockbuster Jurassic Park (1993). His other film roles included Sirens (1994), The Jungle Book (1994), In the Mouth of Madness (1995), Event Horizon (1997), Bicentennial Man (1999), The Dish (2000), and Jurassic Park III (2001).
Despite achieving international acclaim, Neill still occasionally acted in New Zealand films, including The Piano (1993), Perfect Strangers (2003), Under the Mountain (2009), and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016).
On television, he played the eponymous wizard in the 1998 miniseries Merlin and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in the Showtime historical drama The Tudors. More recently, he portrayed the corrupt Chief Inspector Chester Campbell in the first two seasons of Peaky Blinders.
Sam Neill in Peaky Blinders; Everett Collection/Netflix.
Neill was currently starring in the Australian television drama series The Twelve, which aired its third season in 2025. He also has a role in the upcoming Godzilla x Kong: Supernova movie, which is currently in post-production.
Following the news of his passing, tributes poured in from across the entertainment world. Fellow New Zealander Karl Urban left a comment on Instagram, writing, “Sam was truly brilliant. An inspiration for many who followed his trailblazing footsteps. A beautiful man. A national treasure who gave so much to New Zealand and to the world.”
Richard E. Grant shared his own Instagram post, stating, “Knew @samneilltheprop for 3 decades and finally worked with him on PALM BEACH in 2018. An officer and a Gentleman in the truest sense. Guided and helped me through a very difficult time in my Life… Sail on, kind Sir.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also released a statement, writing, “Sir Sam Neill was one of the greats. He started out when there was barely a film industry in this country to speak of. 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 – one of our greatest cultural exports.
Luxon added, “His work will be watched and loved long after all of us. Our thoughts are with his family and friends tonight. Rest in Peace.”
Toni Collette, who starred with Neill in A Long Way Down and Dirty Deeds, wrote, “I love you, dear Sam. You hero. You legend. You sweetheart. Our great friend. You are already missed so very much. Continue in peace wherever you are.”
The Traitors host Alan Cumming added, “Ahhh Sam, what a glorious beautiful man. You are missed. Sorry to the family for your immense loss.”
Neill, who married twice, is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.
