Sam Neill, New Zealand Screen Actor and Leading Man, Dies at 78

[applegrove]

Sam Neill, New Zealand Screen Actor and Leading Man, Dies at 78

He appeared in more than 150 productions over a five-decade career but was perhaps best known for his star turn in the “Jurassic Park” series.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/13/obituaries/sam-neill-dead.html?smid=url-share

By The New York Times
July 13, 2026, 1:59 a.m. ET

Sam Neill, the versatile New Zealand screen actor who appeared in more than 150 productions over a five-decade career, and who was perhaps best known for his star turn as Dr. Alan Grant in the “Jurassic Park” series, died on Monday in Sydney, Australia. He was 78.

Mr. Neill’s family announced his death in a post on Instagram. “Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life,” it said.

Mr. Neill was diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma in March 2022 and had been treated for it for years. His family said in the statement that he was “cancer free” when he died.

Born in Northern Ireland and raised in New Zealand, Mr. Neill, whose acting career began in the late 1960s, combined a credible Everyman quality with rugged good looks and a hard-to-place accent. He was cast in dozens of productions spanning genres, formats and continents.

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