RIP. Sam Neill, ‘Jurassic Park’ Star Dies at 78

Sir Sam Neill, the acclaimed New Zealand actor known for starring in Jurassic Park and for a career spanning more than five decades across independent cinema, Hollywood blockbusters, has died at the age of 78.

Born Nigel John Dermot Neill in Omagh, Northern Ireland, in 1947, he moved to New Zealand with his family as a child and began his acting career in the 1970s. His breakthrough came with the 1977 political thriller Sleeping Dogs, and he soon established himself as a leading man with My Brilliant Career (1979) opposite Judy Davis before taking on memorable roles in films such as Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981), Andrzej Żuławski’s cult psychological drama Possession (1981), Evil Angels (1988), Dead Calm (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Jane Campion’s Oscar-winning The Piano (1993), In the Mouth of Madness (1994), and Event Horizon (1997).

Neill achieved worldwide fame as paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park (1993), a role he reprised in Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022). While the Jurassic franchise introduced him to generations of moviegoers, Neill consistently balanced blockbuster productions with acclaimed independent films, including Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), Sweet Country (2017), Blackbird (2019), Rams (2020), and The Portable Door (2023). He was equally admired on television, earning praise for performances in The Tudors, Peaky Blinders, Merlin, and The Twelve.

Neill’s final released film was The Fox, an Australian black comedy fantasy directed by Dario Russo. The film premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival in October 2025, with Neill providing the voice of the Magpie alongside Olivia Colman. Although its Australian theatrical release is scheduled for October 29, 2026, its festival premiere marked Neill’s final released screen performance. He also completed two films that remain in post-production and will be released posthumously.

In 2023, Neill revealed he had been treated for a rare form of blood cancer, later announcing that he was cancer-free. His family said he died suddenly and unexpectedly in Sydney, surrounded by loved ones. Beyond acting, he was known for his memoir Did I Ever Tell You This?, his Central Otago winery Two Paddocks, and his warm, self-deprecating personality that endeared him to fans around the world. Knighted in 2022 for services to drama and charity, Sir Sam Neill leaves behind an enduring cinematic legacy; and is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.