Jurassic Park actor Sam Neill dies at 78

New Zealand actor Sam Neill, best known for his performances in Jurassic Park and The Piano, died at the age of 78 in Sydney, his family announced on Monday.

His death was "unexpected and sudden," the family said in a statement posted on the actor's social media accounts.

Neill revealed in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

According to his family, he "remained cancer-free" at the time of his death. No cause of death was disclosed.

During his decades-long career, Neill earned acclaim for his versatility, moving seamlessly between arthouse films and major Hollywood productions. He became internationally recognized for his role as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park and also delivered a celebrated performance as the husband to Holly Hunter's character in The Piano.

Neill was among the actors and filmmakers who helped bring Australian and New Zealand cinema to international prominence during the late 1970s and beyond, alongside figures including Paul Hogan, Mel Gibson, Geoffrey Rush, Russell Crowe, Jane Campion, Peter Weir, and Gillian Armstrong.