Hollywood Actor, Sam Neill died from pneumonia and will be honored at a private family memorial at his New Zealand farm, his agent confirmed on Thursday. Neill’s family had earlier announced that the actor, globally recognized for his iconic roles in “Jurassic Park,” “The Piano,” and numerous other films, passed away on Monday in Australia.
Philip Grenz, Neill’s agent, stated that he wanted to provide more clarity about the actor’s passing after speaking directly with the family, following news reports that allegedly contained “inaccuracies and outright falsehoods.”
“Sam passed away from pneumonia,” Grenz said. “Prior to becoming sick, Sam had valiantly fought and beaten lymphoma through a new treatment called CAR-T therapy.”
Grenz also shared that Neill had filmed four projects back-to-back during the past year, all of which are scheduled for release in the coming months.
“As Sam was an intensely private man who loathed a fuss, his family will honor him with a private family memorial at his farm in New Zealand at a still-undetermined later date,” Grenz added.
The New Zealand actor disclosed in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In April of this year, he announced that he was cancer-free. CAR-T therapy, an advanced form of immunotherapy utilizing an individual’s own T cells, is commonly used to treat several types of blood cancer.
The statement from his agent follows days of heartfelt tributes from film industry colleagues who remembered Neill as a kind, witty, and deeply curious man.
Director Taika Waititi, who directed Neill in the beloved 2016 film Hunt for the Wilderpeople, shared a tribute online. “You are so loved and will be sorely missed by us all. Love you and see you soon, sweet Nigel,” Waititi wrote. He referred to Neill’s birth name, which the actor previously explained he changed to Sam during his school years because there were too many Nigels in his class.
Steven Spielberg, who directed the original Jurassic Park movie starring Neill as paleontologist Alan Grant, also paid tribute to the late actor. “Sam was exceptionally collaborative,” 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.”
Neill was part of a generation of actors and directors who achieved international prominence during the massive rise of Australian cinema starting in the late 1970s. Throughout his home country, he has been deeply mourned as a friendly, unassuming individual who preferred to avoid the spotlight while quietly contributing to local causes and community projects near his home.
In addition to his acclaimed acting career, Neill was a dedicated vintner. Under his Two Paddocks brand, he produced pinot noir and riesling wines from his vineyards located in the Central Otago region of New Zealand’s South Island.
He is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.
