Sam Neill, the man who walked among dinosaurs, dies at 78
The New Zealand actor, known for his roles in "Jurassic Park" and "The Piano," had previously beaten cancer thanks to gene therapy. He died "suddenly" surrounded by his family.
Sam Neill during the promotion for "Jurassic Park"
Actor Sam Neill, best known for his role as Dr. Alan Grant in the film Jurassic Park, and for The Piano, died on Monday "suddenly and unexpectedly" in Australia at the age of 78, his family said in a statement.
“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characteri[z]ed his whole life,” the statement said. The New Zealand actor had announced in April that his cancer was in remission following gene therapy.
The actor, whose most memorable role was that of the paleontologist and protagonist of the 1993 blockbuster "Jurassic Park," directed by Steven Spielberg, revealed in his 2023 memoir that he was “possibly dying” from stage three non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
An innovative cancer therapy
But this year he declared himself cancer-free thanks to a gene therapy that modified his immune system and worked wonders, as the family statement emphasized.
"The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free," the family noted.
Vineyard management in New Zealand
Neill’s acting career began in the 1970s and included dozens of roles in film and television, including the Netflix series "Peaky Blinders" and films such as "The Hunt for Red October."
He also managed vineyards in the picturesque Central Otago region of New Zealand.
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