Renowned New Zealand actor Sam Neill, best known for his iconic role as Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, has died at the age of 78. His long-time agent has confirmed that Neill passed away from pneumonia at a hospital in Sydney on Monday.

Earlier this week, Neill’s family described his death as “sudden and unexpected”, adding that he had remained cancer-free following successful treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Agent confirms cause of death

Neill’s long-time representative, Philip Grenz, issued a statement clarifying the circumstances of the actor’s death after reports containing what he described as “inaccurate and outright falsehoods” emerged in the media.

According to Grenz, Neill had successfully overcome non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma through CAR-T cell therapy and was in remission when he fell ill with pneumonia.

Despite his health challenges, Neill remained active in the entertainment industry. Over the past year, he completed four film and television projects, many of which are scheduled for release in the coming months.

A celebrated career spanning five decades

Born in Northern Ireland and raised in New Zealand, Neill built one of the most respected careers in international cinema, appearing in more than 150 film and television productions over five decades.

Apart from Jurassic Park, he earned acclaim for his performances in The Piano, The Hunt for Red October, Dead Calm, Event Horizon and the popular television series Peaky Blinders.

His final film appearance came in The Fox (2025), while his last television role was in Netflix’s Untamed (2025). He is also expected to appear posthumously in Godzilla x Kong: Supernova and The Last Resort, both slated for release in 2027.

Tributes pour in

Tributes have poured in from across the world following Neill’s passing. Jurassic Park co-star Laura Dern described him as her “beloved lifetime friend”, while actor Toni Collette called him a “hero”, “legend” and “sweetheart”. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also paid tribute, describing Neill as “one of the greats”.

Neill is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren. His family has announced that a private memorial will be held at his farm in New Zealand at a later date