New Zealand actor Sam Neill, widely known for his role as Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise, has died at the age of 78.
Neill died on Monday, July 13, 2026, in Sydney, Australia, surrounded by his family, according to a statement shared by his whānau (family) on his official Instagram account. His family described his death as sudden and unexpected.
They said Neill passed with the dignity that characterized his life and thanked staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Sydney for their care. The family added that he remained cancer-free before his death.
Neill’s death came months after he announced that he had overcome a battle with stage-three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The actor first revealed his diagnosis in 2023, stating that he had been diagnosed the previous year after experiencing swollen glands while promoting Jurassic World Dominion. He later detailed his health journey in his memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This.
Neill said chemotherapy, which initially helped control the disease, eventually stopped working, leading him to undergo CAR T-cell therapy, an advanced treatment that modifies a patient’s immune cells to fight cancer.
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In April 2026, he announced that scans showed no evidence of cancer, describing the outcome as extraordinary. Despite his health challenges, Neill remained eager to return to acting.
“It’s time I did another movie,” he said after his recovery.
Born Nigel John Dermot Neill on September 14, 1947, in Omagh, Northern Ireland, he moved to New Zealand as a child and went on to build a celebrated career spanning more than five decades.
Neill rose to international fame in 1993 as Dr Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park. He later reprised the role in Jurassic World Dominion (2022) alongside Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum.
His other notable credits include The Piano, The Hunt for Red October, Dead Calm, Peaky Blinders and The Tudors.
Beyond acting, Neill was also recognized for his passion for winemaking and his New Zealand vineyard.
He leaves behind a lasting legacy as one of New Zealand’s most accomplished actors, remembered for his versatility, longevity and contribution to global cinema.