Actor Sam Neill, best known for his role in the iconic Steven Spielberg classic “Jurassic Park,” died unexpectedly on Monday at the age of 78.
His family shared a statement on the actor’s passing on Monday morning. “It is with immense sadness that the whānau [extended family] of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney, Australia,” the statement began.
“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life,” the statement continued. “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.”
Neill announced in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer, but in April of this year, he was declared cancer-free.
The actor, who was born in Northern Ireland, was instantly recognizable for his starring role in “Jurassic Park,” but Neill almost didn’t get the role as there was a lot of competition in Hollywood. Ultimately, the Irish star was picked for the part of Dr. Alan Grant after Harrison Ford turned it down.
“I like playing villains and bad guys, characters with moral ambiguity, because, in a way, they are easier to play,” he told the Los Angeles Times when the film debuted in 1993.
He also appeared in films including “The Hunt For Red October” and “The Piano” along with popular television shows such as, “The Tudors” and “Peaky Blinders.”
In 1993, Neill opened a vineyard in New Zealand and saw its continued success as being a major part of his legacy beyond his film career.
He said during an interview with Esquire U.K. in 2016, “It doesn’t matter how popular an actor you are, nobody will remember you forever. Acting is ephemeral so it’s nice if you can leave something behind, like a great wine or a beautiful house that has a legacy.”
Neill is survived by four children and eight grandchildren. Neill’s son Andrew was placed for adoption when he was a baby, and he and Neill connected later in life and developed a relationship, which the actor detailed in his memoir, “Did I Ever Tell You This?”
Neill was previously in a long-term relationship with New Zealand actress Lisa Harrow and was later married to Japanese makeup artist Noriko Watanabe from 1989 until 2017.
The actor took pride in his craft and was not interested in the celebrity lifestyle.
“I do hope I’m not a celebrity because … I think it’s two different jobs,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2023. “You can be an actor — hopefully a very good actor — but it’s another job to be a celebrity, and that’s one you can sign up for or not. And I never signed up for that. I’ve avoided that like the plague.”
“The winemaking thing is absolutely half my life and has been immensely rewarding, and it’s very different from everything else that I do. I’m sort of … half-farmer, half-thespian, if you like,” Neill said.