Sam Neill, Jurassic Park actor, dies at 78

Sam Neill, the celebrated New Zealand actor renowned globally for his role as Dr. Alan Grant in the "Jurassic Park" franchise, has died. He was 78. His family announced that Neill passed away on Monday, July 13, 2026, in Sydney, Australia, surrounded by loved ones. His death was described as sudden and unexpected, coming just months after he had publicly announced he was cancer-free following a battle with blood cancer.

A statement posted on the actor's social media accounts conveyed the family's profound sadness and requested privacy. "Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life," the statement read. "The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free." The family expressed deep gratitude to the staff at St. Vincent's Private Hospital in Sydney for their care.

Neill had first revealed his diagnosis of stage-three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma in his 2023 memoir, "Did I Ever Tell You This?". He underwent treatment, including participation in Australian clinical trials for CAR T-cell therapy, a form of immunotherapy. In April 2026, he shared that he was in remission and free of the...