Sam Neill, the celebrated New Zealand actor known globally for his role as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, passed away at 78. Fellow actor Rima Te Wiata shared with the New Zealand Herald that Neill was suffering from pneumonia prior to his death on Monday. She noted Neill wasn’t afraid of death but found it bothersome and unexpected given his recent battle with cancer.

Te Wiata, Neill’s co-star in Hunt for the Wilderpeople, remarked,

He’s on his big journey now.

However, she provided no further details about his pneumonia.

Neill’s family announced his sudden passing, expressing gratitude that he remained free from cancer, although the exact cause of death remains unspecified. In his 2023 memoir Did I Ever Tell You This?, Neill mentioned he was facing stage-three non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but he was declared cancer-free in April after years of treatment.

Widely loved for his performance alongside Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Attenborough in Jurassic Park, Neill received countless tributes from colleagues and fans worldwide. Dern posted on Instagram, calling Neill a beloved lifetime friend, while Goldblum and director Steven Spielberg also shared their fond memories.

Australian journalist Laura Tingle, who had a personal relationship with Neill, commented on how his health had been deteriorating, emphasizing the taxing effect of his previous cancer treatments on his immune system.

Neill, born in Omagh, Northern Ireland, relocated to New Zealand in the early 1950s. Over his career, he amassed more than 150 screen credits, starring in films like The Hunt for Red October, The Piano, and TV shows such as Peaky Blinders. Co-star Cillian Murphy described Neill as

one of the kindest and gentlest people

in the industry.

Nicole Kidman also offered her reflections, recalling their friendship that began when she was 18. She praised Neill as charming, kind, funny and intelligent. In 2022, he was honored with a knighthood in New Zealand’s royal honors system.