Jurassic Park star Sam Neill dies at 78

Veteran actor Sam Neill, best known for portraying Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise, has died at the age of 78. His family confirmed that he passed away in Sydney on Monday, describing his death as "sudden and unexpected."

Neill revealed in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. However, his family said he had remained cancer-free at the time of his death. The cause of death has not been disclosed.

Born in Northern Ireland in 1947, Neill moved to New Zealand as a child and went on to become one of the country's most celebrated actors. His breakthrough came with My Brilliant Career (1979), followed by acclaimed performances in Dead Calm, The Piano, The Hunt for Red October, Event Horizon, The Tudors and Peaky Blinders.

Neill achieved worldwide fame as palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park (1993), reprising the iconic role in Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic World: Dominion (2022). His performance made him one of the most recognisable faces in modern cinema.

Beyond acting, Neill was also a winemaker and author. His memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?, was published in 2023. He was knighted for his outstanding contribution to film and remained a beloved figure in New Zealand, admired for both his talent and humility.

Tributes poured in from across the film industry and political leaders, including New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who hailed Neill as one of the country's greatest actors whose work helped put New Zealand cinema on the global map.

Sam Neill is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren, leaving behind a cinematic legacy that spanned more than five decades.