Steven Spielberg, Laura Dern And Cillian Murphy Share Sam Neill Tributes

Steven Spielberg has paid a heartfelt tribute to the actor Sam Neill, who he directed in the first Jurassic Park movie.

On Monday, the Oscar-winning filmmaker was among the Hollywood stars to pay their respects to Sam, following his death at the age of 78.

In a statement to Variety, Spielberg shared how “saddened” he was by the loss, beginning by expressing his “gratitude” to filmmakers Roger Donaldson, Gilliam Armstrong, Graham Baker and Phillip Noyce “for casting Sam Neill in the roles in which he was so brilliant that brought him to my attention”, which led to him being cast in Jurassic Park.

Spielberg enthused: “Sam was exceptionally collaborative. It was a stretch for him to play a character who acted as though children were messy and smelly because this was the opposite of the loving father he was to his children.

“I adored making all the Jurassic movies with him. Along with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, we will always have our Jurassic family and Sam will never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world.”

Laura Dern then shared her own tribute with the US outlet, which read: “Sam was my beloved lifetime friend.

“He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness and love always with the driest of wit. He was a true and noble gentleman, wrapped up in my dream leading man.”

“I will love you forever, Dr. Alan Grant,” she concluded.

Following the news of Sam’s death on Monday morning, a number of his Hollywood peers and former co-stars have been paying their respects on social media…

Oscar winner Cillan Murphy, who starred alongside Sam in the first two seasons of Peaky Blinders, told Deadline: “Like everyone who knew and worked with Sam, I admired him and adored him in equal measure.

“He was one of the kindest, funniest and gentlest people, and one of the finest actors.”

New Zealand and Australia’s prime ministers, Christopher Luxon and Anthony Albanese, also posted tributes of their own.

“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13 July, in Sydney Australia,” his family announced in a statement.

“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life.”

The Emmy nominee’s death was described as “sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer-free”.