His unshowy gifts, which discreetly carried arthouse drama and blockbuster adventures alike, never sucked a movie’s oxygen in to his own performance

The star of more than 100 films is remembered as a champion of New Zealand’s arts, culture and environment, and a generous collaborator and friend

With more than 150 acting roles under his belt, Sam Neill leaves a lasting legacy to the film and TV industry, and an array of characters that will stay in fans' hearts forever.

Handsome, talented and with an easy, gracious manner, the Northern Ireland-born actor was a consummate professional with a stellar career spanning six decades.

Versatile character actor who gained international star status with standout performances in Jurassic Park and The Piano

The breadth of Omagh-born Neill’s work was extraordinary. Any festival celebrating his work would last for weeks

His unshowy gifts, which discreetly carried arthouse drama and blockbuster adventures alike, never sucked a movie’s oxygen in to his own performance

Everyone from Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall to Laura Dern and Toni Collette have shared their thoughts.

Despite a movie career worth several billion at the box office, the beloved film actor preferred obscure and wild roles which nourished his soul.

Whatever the genre, whatever the setting, Sam Neill always delivered. These are his standout performances.

A character actor in a leading man’s body, he gave balls-to-the-wall performances in a subversively varied career

For me, Sam Neill will not only be remembered for his legacy, but also for a five-second joke that perfectly summed up the kind of man he was.

New Zealand actor Sam Neill, who passed away at the age of 78, brought the same consummate professionalism to blockbusters and arthouse risks alike.

Sam had such ease about him and I just loved the way he seemed to cruise through life. But he confronted his mortality with real courage

From teeing up a marriage to inspiring a career and giving 144 bottles of wine to his birthday band, the star’s admirers share their fondest memories