Sam Neill, the versatile actor whose career of more than 50 years was highlighted by his three appearances in the blockbuster “Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic World” franchises, died on July 13 in Sydney, Australia. He was 78.
“It is with immense sadness that the whānau [family] of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney, Australia. Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life,” Neill’s family said in a statement. “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.”
Following the completion of principal photography for “Jurassic World Dominion” (2022), Neill revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a form of blood cancer, which would require him to take chemotherapy for the remainder of his life.
In April, Neill had said he was cancer-free after almost five years of battling stage-three blood cancer.
