Sam Neill has been hailed as "one of the greats" by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.Hayley Anderson Screen Time TV Reporter13:39, 13 Jul 2026Lorraine Kelly can't believe Sam Neill's ageFollowing the death of Peaky Blinders actor Sam Neill, we revisit some of his best roles on the big and small screen.‌Neill famously starred in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park films alongside Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum. However, he has delivered several memorable peformances over his long career.‌The actor has died at the age of 78 in Sydney, Australia, with a statement confirming he was "surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life".‌While he had been diagnosed with Stage Three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma in 2022, it has been shared that he was "cancer free" by the time of death, which was "sudden and unexpected".As fans around the world grieve his loss, let's take a moment to remember some of Neill's biggest roles.Sam Neill movies and TV showsPeaky Blinders‌Neill took on a more sinister role in Peaky Blinders which he starred in for the first two seasons as Major Chester Campbell.In the beloved BBC period drama, the corrupt Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Chief Inspector harboured a pure hatred for Peaky Blinders gang and was utterly relentless in his pursuit of Tommy Shelby (played by Cillian Murphy).Jurassic Park‌Jurassic Park fans will undoubtedly best remember Sam Neill for starring in the original Steven Spielberg film back in 1993. Taking on the role of palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant, he is one of the first scientists to visit a billionaire's extraordinary theme park where dinosaurs once again roam the earth.He went on to reprise this unforgettable role in the third film in the dinosaur franchise Jurassic Park III and then again for the spin-off feature Jurassic World: Dominion in 2022.Neill featured alongside the original legendary cast, which included Richard Attenborough, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum.‌The OmenSam Neill once again showed his varied acting abilities by joining the iconic horror movie franchise The Omen.He starred in the third and final film of the franchise, The Final Chapter, as the Devil's son Damien Thorn.‌It was in this film that Damien was now the US Ambassador to Britain with the sole purpose of achieving "total world domination".The PianoAs well as starring in Jurassic Park in 1993, Neill took on a far more romatnic role in the shape of Alisdair Stewart in the drama The Piano.‌The story follows mute pianist Ada (Holly Hunter) who, along with her daughter, is exiled in New Zealand, and all they have with them is a piano.Neill's character Alisdair embarks on a complicated relationship with Ada that neither of them expect.The Tudors‌The Hollywood legend played a pivotal role in the very first season of the iconic historical drama The Tudors, taking on the part of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.He brought to life King Henry VIII's most trusted advisor and Lord Chancellor, a figure who couldn't resist stirring up trouble given his privileged position in the earlier episodes.Neill starred opposite Henry Cavill, Natalie Dormer, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Sarah Bolger.‌The Hunt for Red OctoberIn this epic 1990 war thriller, Neill was not the only unforgettable star as he worked alongside Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin and James Earl Jones.He is behind empathetic naval officer Captain Boderin, as a renegade Soviet submarine commander hijacks the Soviet Navy's most sophisticated nuclear vessel.Article continues belowSome of Neill's other biggest roles include Untamed, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, The Twelve, Crusoe, Alcatraz and The Dish.