Sam Neill died of pneumonia at age 78

Sam Neill died of pneumonia at age 78

Actor Sam Neill has died from pneumonia at the age of 78, according to his longtime representative Philip Grenz. The announcement follows the actor's death on Monday, July 13, in Sydney, Australia.

The whānau of Neill shared the news on Instagram on July 13, stating that the loss was sudden and unexpected and that Neill was surrounded by family and passed with dignity. His family expressed gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their care.

Prior to the illness that led to his death, Neill had fought a battle with cancer. In 2022, he was diagnosed with stage 3 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, which is a rare form of blood cancer. To combat the disease, Neill underwent chemotherapy and a new immunotherapy treatment known as CAR-T therapy, which is based on an individual's T cells.

Neill had shared positive news regarding his health earlier this year. Speaking to Australia's 7NEWS, he said:

"I've had a scan just now, and there is no cancer in my body. This is an extraordinary thing."

Sam Neill, via 7NEWS

His representative confirmed that Neill had valiantly fought and beaten lymphoma and remained cancer-free at the time of his passing.

Throughout a career spanning five decades, Neill became a global figure, most notably for his role as paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant in the 1993 film Jurassic Park. He returned to the role in Jurassic Park III in 2001 and Jurassic World: Dominion in 2022.

Steven Spielberg, who directed the original Jurassic Park, remembered Neill as exceptionally collaborative.

"I adored making all the Jurassic movies with him,"

Steven Spielberg, via statement

Beyond the Jurassic franchise, Neill appeared in The Piano, Event Horizon, Possession, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. His television work included roles in The Tudors, Peaky Blinders, and The Twelve. He first achieved wide fame for his role in Omen III. His accolades include two Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations; in 2025, he won the Australian Logie Award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama for his work in The Twelve.

Neill's professional activity continued until his final days. Grenz stated that the actor filmed four projects back-to-back over the past year, all of which are due for release in coming months. These include a romantic comedy directed by Donald Petrie titled The Last Resort, starring Alden Ehrenreich and Daisy Ridley, as well as Godzilla x Kong: Supernova.

Outside of acting, Neill was a vintner. He produced riesling and pinot noir wines under his Two Paddocks brand at his winery located in the Central Otago region of New Zealand's South Island. In 2023, he published a memoir titled Did I Ever Tel You Thiss?

Director Taika Waititi, who worked with Neill on the 2016 film Hunt for the Wilderpeople, posted a tribute on Instagram on Wednesday, referring to the actor by his birth name, Nigel.

"You are so loved and will be sorely missed by us all,"

Taika Waititi, via Instagram

Neill is survived by four children — Andrew, Tim, Maiko, and Elena — and eight grandchildren.

The family has requested privacy and has asked that fans donate to causes close to the actor's heart instead of sending flowers. These include:

• The Dunstan Hospital Foundation
• The Snowdome Foundation
• The NZ Nature Fund
• Subtainable Tarras
• New Zealand conservation initiatives for the environment, native forests, and wildlife

A private family memorial will be held at Neill's farm in Aotearoa (New Zealand) at a date that has not yet been determined.