Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor best known internationally for his role as paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant in “Jurassic Park,” died on Monday in Sydney at the age of 78. His family said his death came suddenly and unexpectedly. They stated that he was cancer-free and asked for privacy. The family did not announce a cause of death in their statement.

Thekabarnews.com—New Zealand actor Sam Neill died Monday, July 13, in Sydney, Australia. He starred as paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park.” He was 78 years old.

Neill’s family announced his death in a statement on the actor’s social media. He died “surrounded by family members” and the loss was “sudden and unexpected,” they said.

The family also pointed out that Neill was cancer-free at the time of his death. An official cause of death was not given. However, they thanked the medical team at St. Vincent’s Private Hospital in Sydney for looking after him.

“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life,” the family said, according to the Associated Press.

There is nothing official linking Neill’s death to cancer. His family stated specifically that he was free from the disease. No authorized representative had revealed another cause when the family announced his death.

In his 2023 memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?, Neill revealed that doctors had diagnosed him with a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Doctors call the disease angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.

When chemotherapy failed, his doctors resorted to a treatment called CAR T-cell therapy. This treatment involves modifying a patient’s own immune cells to help them combat cancer.

Neill said in April 2026 that a medical scan had found no cancer in his body. Variety Australia reports that he also hoped to make another film.

Neill was born in Northern Ireland in 1947 as Nigel John Dermot Neill. He emigrated with his family to New Zealand when he was seven.

His breakthrough was Roger Donaldson’s political drama Sleeping Dogs (1977). It was an important production in the evolution of contemporary New Zealand cinema.

Neill later endeared herself to international audiences with her turns in the period drama My Brilliant Career. He was also known for the nautical thriller Dead Calm.

He also starred in other big movies like The Hunt for Red October, The Piano, Event Horizon, A Cry in the Dark and Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

Neill earned worldwide recognition in 1993 by starring alongside Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough in Jurassic Park. Neill reprised his role as Dr. Alan Grant in the 2001 film Jurassic Park III. Additionally, he played the same role in the 2022 film Jurassic World Dominion.

He also appeared in television productions including Peaky Blinders, Merlin, The Tudors, Invasion and Apples Never Fall, beyond cinema. NZ On Screen has documented more than 120 screen appearances and over 80 feature films throughout his career.

Neill also wrote, directed, made wine, and presented documentaries. Neill received a knighthood for his services to film and leaves behind four children and eight grandchildren.