Sam Neill, beloved Dr Alan Grant from Jurassic Park, dies aged 78

SYDNEY: Sam Neill, the New Zealand-based actor known globally for his role in Jurassic Park, died suddenly on Monday. He was 78.

Sam Neill’s family announced the news of his death on the actor's social media page.

MESSAGE:

"It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July 2026 in Sydney, Australia. Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life.

The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free. The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent's Private Hospital for their incredible care.

More details will be shared later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss."

The actor was diagnosed with stage 3 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare blood cancer, in 2022. In April 2026, Neill himself announced that he was cancer-free. In a recent interview with a television channel, Neill responded to his health ailment, saying, "Very irritating, dying. But I'm not afraid of it."

Neill was one of the few among the list of top-tier Australian actors to make it into the grand stage of Hollywood during the 1970s. He attained global popularity playing the gruff palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park.