The New Zealand actor, known from everything from “Jurassic Park” to “Peaky Blinders” and “The Piano”, died on Monday surrounded by his family in Sydney. He had recently told us that he was cancer-free.
Sam Neill, the versatile actor whose career spanned from Oscar winners like The Piano to giant blockbusters like Jurassic Park, has died, aged 78.
The news was confirmed by the family on social media on Monday 13 July. No cause of death was given, but Neill recently revealed that he was cancer-free after being diagnosed with blood cancer in 2022.
“It is with great sadness that Sam Neill’s whānau [Maori term for extended family] shares the news of his passing on Monday, July 13 in Sydney, Australia,” the family wrote. “Sam was surrounded by family and died with the dignity that has characterized his entire life.
“The loss was sudden and unexpected, but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer-free. The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their incredible care.”
From Northern Ireland to New Zealand
Born Nigel John Dermot Neill in 1947 in Omagh, Northern Ireland, he had an English mother and a New Zealand father who served in the British Army. The family moved to New Zealand in 1954.
After a “disastrous” year of law school, he decided to focus on acting. He started with performances at Canterbury University, before moving to Wellington to become a professional actor at the Downstage Theatre.
His breakthrough role came in 1977’s Sleeping Dogs – the first New Zealand film to premiere in America. Soon after, he landed a leading role in My Brilliant Career (1979), played the Devil’s Son in Omen III (1981), and starred in Andrzej Żuławski’s cult horror film Possession (1981).
Later, he starred in Evil Angels, The Hunt for Red October and Ivanhoe – the latter of which made Neill a big name in Sweden, where the film has been broadcast every New Year’s Day for 40 years.
Sam Neill has starred in 155 films and TV series and has actually participated in three more coming next year, including the new Godzilla and Kong movie.
Alan Grant and The Piano
He gained international stardom in earnest in 1993. That year, he played the New Zealand settler Alisdair Stewart in the Oscar-winning The Piano – and not least Dr. Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park. He reprised the role in the sequels Jurassic Park III and Jurassic World Dominion.
Throughout a career that spanned five decades, he amassed more than 150 roles. Highlights include Dead Calm, The Jungle Book, In the Mouth of Madness, Event Horizon, Bicentennial Man, The Dish and Peter Rabbit.
He was also one of the main candidates to succeed Roger Moore as James Bond, and did a screentest for the spy series in 1986 – but lost the battle to Timothy Dalton.
Peaky Blinders and TV Successes
On television, he became known as the corrupt Major Chester Campbell in Peaky Blinders, and also appeared in series such as The Twelve, The Tudors , and guest appearances on The Simpsons and Rick and Morty.
He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal of the spy Sidney Reilly in the 1983 miniseries Reilly, Ace of Spies .
In 2023, Neill revealed that he had undergone chemotherapy after being diagnosed with stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. He shared the story in his memoir, Did I Ever Tell You About This? When the book was published, the cancer was in remission – but he underwent monthly chemotherapy for the rest of his life.
“I’m not afraid of dying”
In an interview with The Guardian in 2023, he spoke openly about his fight against cancer:
“I’m not afraid of dying, but it would annoy me,” he said at the time.
“I really want another decade or two. We have built all these beautiful terraces, we have olive trees and cypresses. I want to be here to see everything mature. And I have my lovely little grandchildren. I want to see them grow up. But when it comes to death? I couldn’t care less.”
Neill was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1991 and a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007.
Hailed by the Prime Minister
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is among those who honored the actor.
“Sam Neill starred in so many beloved Australian stories, and he earned a special place in Australian hearts,” he wrote on social media.
“Dry and dry, thoughtful and laconic. Sam battled illness with the same dignity, humor, and conviction that gave strength to every performance. He will be much mourned and long remembered. May he rest in peace.”
