Sam Neill Cause of Death at 78 Confirmed by Manager

Actor Sam Neill died at the age of 78 from pneumonia, his manager confirmed on Monday. Philip Grenz, Neill's manager, told TMZ that the Jurassic Park star had succumbed to the illness.

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Neill had been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, in 2023. He had previously battled the disease with success after undergoing CAR-T therapy, according to Grenz. Neill's family had stated that his death was 'sudden and unexpected,' and that he 'remained cancer-free' at the time of his passing.

Sam Neill's career spanned over four decades, with notable roles in films such as My Brilliant Career, Dead Calm, and Event Horizon. He also appeared in the Jurassic Park film franchise, playing paleontologist Alan Grant, a character who warned the mastermind of the theme park about the dangers of cloning dinosaurs. Neill's range as an actor was remarkable, with performances in a wide range of genres, from comedy to sci-fi horror.

Tributes have been paid to Neill by fellow actors and directors, including Steven Spielberg, who helmed the first Jurassic Park movie. Spielberg said in a statement: 'I adored making all the Jurassic movies with him. Along with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, we will always have our Jurassic family and Sam will never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world.' Sharon Lawrence wrote on Instagram: 'Condolences and appreciation for the immense joy and mastery Sam Neill brought our industry.'

Neill's family is putting together a small memorial service at his farm in New Zealand, with a select number of friends and relatives set to attend. There will not be a large public gathering or celebration of life, in accordance with Neill's wishes to keep things low-key. His manager, Philip Grenz, said that Neill had worked on four consecutive projects in the past year, which are expected to be released in the next few months.

Source: Daily Mail