Sam Neill’s agent Philip Grenz revealed cause of death to be pneumonia to counter “inaccuracies and outright falsehoods” surrounding the actor’s death.
The beloved actor, whose career spanned over five decades and is known for his role as Dr. Alan Grant in JURASSIC PARK, died at age 78 on July 13 in Sydney.
“As Sam was an intensely private man who loathed a fuss, his family will honor him with a private family memorial at his farm in New Zealand at a still-undetermined later date,” Grenz said.
In 2023, Neill announced that he was diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of cancer. Earlier this year he announced he beat the cancer through CAR-T therapy.
Tributes poured in from colleagues after the news of his passing, including Taika Waititi who directed HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE which starred the New Zealand actor as a foster uncle to troubled child Ricky (Julian Dennison).
“You are so loved and will be sorely missed by us all,” Waititi wrote.
Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg who directed JURASSIC PARK praised Neill, saying that “he adored making all the JURASSIC movies with him…we will always have our JURASSIC family and Sam will never be forgotten.”
“Sam was exceptionally collaborative,” Spielberg said of the father of four. “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.”
JURASSIC PARK costar Laura Dern also gave a heartfelt tribute to Neill.
“Sam was my beloved lifetime friend… He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness and love always with the driest of wit,” Dern stated. “He was a true and noble gentleman, wrapped up in my dream leading man. I will love you forever, Dr. Alan Grant.”
Movieguide® founder Dr. Ted Baehr offered a tribute to Neill who was nominated for Movieguide®’s Grace Prize for for his role as Cliff who leads an Australian team of fellow scientists as they attempt to broadcast Apollo 11’s historic moon landing in the comedy-drama THE DISH.
“Neill, who just passed on to glory, was one of my favorite actors…,” Baehr said. “He was terrific in JURASSIC PARK. He was terrific in most of the movies he did. He had a lot of depth in his character, but when you met him, he was a person who had a deep, deep faith, and he had a deep knowledge that he was doing the right thing.”
Neill, who stated in an interview after learning about his cancer that he was not afraid of dying but would “be annoyed because there are things I still want to do,” kept busy and had recently finished four movies, two of which are GODZILLA X KONG: SUPERNOVA and THE LAST RESORT set to come out in 2027.
May Neill’s life be a reminder to live life with that same zeal, knowing that our time here is precious and fleeting.
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
