Sam Neill’s friends and colleagues have paid tribute following the actor’s death at the age of 78.
The Jurassic Park actor died in hospital in Sydney on Monday. Family described his passing as ‘sudden and unexpected’ in a statement published to his Instagram page.
Richard E. Grant, who was a close friend of Neill’s, led the tributes on Monday, sharing a string of photos on his Instagram page and writing: ‘Knew @samneilltheprop for 3 decades and finally worked with him on PALM BEACH in 2018. An officer and a Gentleman in the truest sense.’
Richard, who lost his beloved wife Joan to cancer in 2021, then added his gratitude to his late friend who ‘guided and helped me through a very difficult time in my Life. Sail on, kind Sir.’
Toni Collette, a frequent collaborator of Neill’s and a longtime friend shared a heartbreaking tribute, writing on Instagram: ‘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.’
She added in another post: ‘My friend Sam left us this morning. Yes he was an incredible actor. But he was also the most beautiful, decent gentleman. A big hearted king with a dry, hilarious wit. I feel so lucky to have known him. When I think of Sam I always see him giggling. It is a terribly sad day.’
Sam Neill’s friends and colleagues have paid tribute following the actor’s death at the age of 78
Richard E. Grant, who was a close friend of Neill’s, led the tributes on Monday, sharing a string of photos on his Instagram page and writing: ‘An officer and a Gentleman in the truest sense’
New Zealand prime minister, Christopher Luxon, paid tribute to the Northern Ireland-born star who was raised in New Zealand, saying in a statement: ‘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. His work will be watched and loved long after all of us.’
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also shared a statement on X, writing: ‘Sam Neill starred in so many beloved Australian stories and he earned a special place in Australian hearts.
‘Wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic, Sam fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance.’
‘He will be much mourned and long remembered. May he rest in peace.’
Nicole Kidman who starred opposite Neill in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm, said in a statement: ‘Sam was one of the greats … a joy to be around. We met when I was just 18, and he took me under his wing and we stayed friends for life. He was charming, kind, funny and intelligent. He will be greatly missed and my heart goes out to his family.’
Colin Trevorrow, who directed Neill in 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion, recalled working with him on the film in his tribute.
‘Sam Neill was a deeply soulful and beautiful man. He was a friend and collaborator at a challenging time, and his strength gave us all strength,’ he wrote.
Richard and Sam starred together in the 2019 Australian comedy Palm Beach after being friends for three decades (pictured in the film)
Toni Collette , a frequent collaborator of Neill’s and a longtime friend shared a heartbreaking tribute, writing on Instagram: ‘I love you, dear Sam. You hero’
She added in another post: ‘My friend Sam left us this morning. Yes he was an incredible actor. But he was also the most beautiful, decent gentleman’
‘I’ll remember him for his tranquility, his love of wine, and for the calm assuredness he brought to his characters. It’s not every lifetime you get to befriend a legend. Forever grateful.’
Actor Alan Cumming commented on Neill’s Instagram: ‘Ahhh Sam, what a glorious beautiful man. You are missed. Sorry to the family for your immense loss.’
Kylie Minogue wrote: ‘Vale Sam,’ a Latin term for farewell or goodbye used in Australia.
Australian actress and Muriel’s Wedding star Rachel Griffiths, who worked on two films with Neill, wrote on Instagram: ‘Rest in peace Sam – for the characters chuckles and good company thank you. Love to all who loved you – you will be missed.’
Australian director Phillip Noyce, who directed Neill in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm alongside Nicole Kidman, told the Guardian: ‘Sam was perhaps the most gentlemanly actor I ever encountered. Level-headed and sincere in a show business world of crazy egos. His word was his contract.’
‘In a strange way Sam was responsible for my long career in Hollywood. When there were rumours that George Miller might have secretly directed Dead Calm, Sam assured the American producer, Mace Neufeld, that I was indeed the director – and Mace then signed me to direct Harrison Ford in Patriot Games,’ the director added.
Neill’s family said in a tribute: ‘It is with immense sadness that the whānau (family) 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,’ they said.
‘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.’
New Zealand prime minister, Christopher Luxon, paid tribute to the Northern Ireland-born star who was raised in New Zealand, calling the actor ‘one of our greatest cultural exports’
Australian PM Anthony Albanese also shared a statement on X, writing: ‘Sam Neill starred in so many beloved Australian stories and he earned a special place in Australian hearts’
Actor Alan Cumming commented on Neill’s Instagram: ‘Ahhh Sam, what a glorious beautiful man’
Australian actress and Muriel’s Wedding star Rachel Griffiths, who worked on two films with Neill, shared an Instagram tribute
Colin Trevorrow, who directed Neill in 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion, recalled working with him on the film in his tribute
In April, Neill – who is best known for playing Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise – announced tests had found he was cancer free.
In an interview with Channel Seven, Neill detailed how close he came to death after chemotherapy stopped working. A costly, cutting-edge treatment prolonged his life.
Neill said: ‘I’ve been living with a particular type of lymphoma for about five years and I was on chemotherapy and the pretty miserable business, but it was keeping me alive.
‘Then the chemo stopped working. I was at a loss and it looked like I was on the way out, which wasn’t ideal obviously.’
Neill underwent a special treatment called CAR T-cell therapy, which genetically modifies a patient’s own T-cells to recognise and destroy cancer cells. Private treatment costs around $AUD540,000.
‘I’ve just had a scan just now and there is no cancer in my body, that’s an extraordinary thing. I’m very, very excited that this can happen,’ he said at the time.
The treatment is currently in clinical trials to treat another blood cancer, myeloma.
Neill also said he was planning to make a return to acting.
In April, Neill – who is best known for playing Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise – announced tests had found he was cancer free
‘It’s time I did another movie,’ he said.
Neill first went public with his cancer diagnosis in 2023 after being diagnosed with cancer the previous year, after initially experiencing swollen glands.
He found out about his stage-three blood cancer while he promoted Jurassic World Dominion in 2022.
In that film he reprised his role as Grant alongside original co-stars Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum alongside Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.
He told Australian Story at the time: ‘I’m not in any way frightened of dying. That doesn’t worry me. It’s never worried me from the beginning, but I would be annoyed.
‘I’d be annoyed because there are things I still want to do. Very irritating, dying. But I’m not afraid of it.’
Neill, who was born in Northern Ireland to an English mother and a New Zealander father, first disclosed the news of his illness in his memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This, where he writes in the first chapter that he is ‘possibly dying’.
Reflecting on life at the time, the seasoned actor once again said that he did not fear death, admitting, ‘I’m not afraid to die. But it would annoy me. Because I’d really like another decade or two, you know?’
‘We’ve built all these lovely terraces, we’ve got these olive trees and cypresses, and I want to be around to see it all mature. And I’ve got my lovely little grandchildren. I want to see them get big.
‘But as for the dying? I couldn’t care less.’
Neill shares a son, Tim, 40, with New Zealand actress, Lisa Harrow, to whom he was married between 1980 and 1989.
The star was married to Japanese makeup artist Noriko Watanabe from 1989-2017 and they share a daughter, Elena, 35. He also adopted Noriko’s daughter from her first marriage, Maiko.
Neill first went public with his cancer diagnosis in 2023 after being diagnosed with cancer the previous year, after initially experiencing swollen glands (pictured in 2025)
Neill was born Nigel John Dermot Neill in Ireland, with his family moving to New Zealand in 1954.
He went by the nickname Sam, dropping Nigel after deciding Sam was ‘less awkward’.
‘I found I moved more easily in the world as a Sam. Nigel is an awkward fit in most circumstances. Imagine being a movie actor called Nigel Neill,’ he said in 2014.
Neill starred in three Jurassic Park films including the original in 1993, Jurassic Park III in 2001, and Jurassic World Dominion in 2022.
He became a household name after playing palaeontologist Grant in 1993’s Jurassic Park alongside Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum.
He would reprise the role in Jurassic Park III in 2001, and again in Jurassic World Dominion just four years ago.
He has recently worked on Godzilla x Kong: Supernova and The Last Resort, both of which are now set to be released posthumously in 2027.
On the small screen, Neill appeared in episodes of The Simpsons, Peaky Blinders, The Tudors and The Twelve.
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