Sam Neill had pneumonia before his death, co-star says, as tributes pour in

Sam Neill had pneumonia before his death, co-star says, as tributes pour in

Sir Sam Neill died in a Sydney hospital on Monday, July 13, 2026, at the age of 78. While his family described the loss as sudden and unexpected, a former co-star revealed the actor had battled pneumonia prior to his passing.

Rima Te Wiata, who starred opposite Neill in the 2016 comedy Hunt for the Wilderpeople, told the New Zealand Herald that Neill had recently been sick with pneumonia. Te Wiata suggested the actor would be annoyed by the timing of the illness, noting that he was not scared of death.

"He would be like, 'Oh, for goodness sake! I got over my cancer, and now look, now I get pneumonia. What next?'"

Rima Te Wiata, actor, via New Zealand Herald

The timing follows a long medical struggle. In a 2023 memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?, Neill wrote that he was possibly dying from stage-three non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which he described as a ferocious and aggressive form of blood cancer. He declared himself cancer-free in April 2026 following years of treatment, including immunotherapy and a genetic therapy that modified his immune system.

Laura Tingle, a journalist for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and former partner of Neill, told ABC Radio Sydney that his body had become exhausted after the extensive chemo and immunotherapy. Tingle said Neill had been pretty sick for the last couple of weeks and that his immune system had been left pretty compromised by his previous treatments.

The actor's family expressed gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their care. They stated that Neill died surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life.

Tributes have arrived from across the film industry. Director Steven Spielberg said he adored making the Jurassic movies with Neill and stated that the actor will never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world. Neill first gained global fame in 1993 as the paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, a role he reprised in 2001's Jurassic Park III and 2022's Jurassic World Dominion.

Fellow Jurassic Park cast members shared personal memories:

• Laura Dern described Neill as a beloved lifetime friend and a true and noble gentleman.
• Jeff Goldblum wrote that Neill's next great adventure begins.
• Bryce Dallas Howard called him funny, warm, wickedly self-deprecating, endlessly kind and magnetic.
• Chris Pratt described Neill as a true legend.

Joseph Mazzello, who played Tim Murphy in the original 1993 film, described the news as a gut punch because he believed Neill was through his health crisis. Ariana Clarice Richards, who played Lex Murphy, thanked Neill for being a mentor, protector, and above all, friend.

Beyond the Jurassic franchise, Neill was recognized for his role as Major Chester Campbell in Peaky Blinders. Co-star Cillian Murphy said he admired and adored Neill, calling him one of the finest actors. Nicole Kidman, who worked with Neill in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm, recalled that he took her under his wing when she was 18.

Born in Omagh, Northern Ireland, in 1947, Neill moved to New Zealand as a child. He was born Nigel John Dermot but changed his name to Sam because he felt the original was too effete for New Zealand. His career spanned five decades, beginning with New Zealand films in the early 1970s. He was once considered as a potential replacement for Roger Moore in the James Bond franchise. In 2022, he accepted a knighthood, and in 2025, he was honored with the New Zealand Screen Legend Award.

Outside of acting, Neill was a winemaker who operated the Two Paddocks vineyards in the Central Otago region of New Zealand's South Island.

The family has asked for privacy as they navigate the loss, stating that more details will be shared later.