{"id":4983,"date":"2026-07-13T11:35:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T06:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=4983"},"modified":"2026-07-13T11:35:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T06:35:19","slug":"jurassic-parkactor-sam-neill-dies-at-78","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=4983","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Jurassic Park&#8217;;actor Sam Neill dies at 78"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"prism-article-body\">\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao MvWXB TjIXL aGjvy ebVHC \">Actor Sam Neill, known for his roles in the &#8220;Jurassic Park&#8221; films and &#8220;Peaky Blinders,&#8221; died on Sunday, according to his official social media account. He was 78.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life,&#8221; the statement, which <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DauK0SrT6uJ\/\" target=\"_blank\">was posted<\/a> early on Monday, said. &#8220;The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/0bafbf00-66bd-4329-944c-19622dd9b031\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-gty-jt-231018_1697669396127_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/0bafbf00-66bd-4329-944c-19622dd9b031\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-gty-jt-231018_1697669396127_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/0bafbf00-66bd-4329-944c-19622dd9b031\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-gty-jt-231018_1697669396127_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/0bafbf00-66bd-4329-944c-19622dd9b031\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-gty-jt-231018_1697669396127_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/0bafbf00-66bd-4329-944c-19622dd9b031\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-gty-jt-231018_1697669396127_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">Actor Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant, stands next to an electric fence in a scene from the 1993 film &#8220;Jurassic Park.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Murray Close\/Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"RxNCg SbJgJ ykkUm PvZ nIjPJ PMXYp LmsHF SfAHY mNgye lNbol LBPRq rBLIK \">Early career<\/h2>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Neill, who was born Nigel John Dermot Neill on Sept. 14, 1947, in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, didn&#8217;t get exposure to acting until he was in college.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">As a kid, Neill&#8217;s parents were in the army, and his father&#8217;s family owned a vineyard. When he was 7, Neill and his family moved to New Zealand. It was while he attended the University of Canterbury that he gained exposure to acting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In 1971, Neill landed his first acting role in the New Zealand television film &#8220;The City of No.&#8221; He was cast in several TV film roles before his being cast as the lead in the 1977 New Zealand film, &#8220;Sleeping Dogs,&#8221; an action thriller film.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Following &#8220;Sleeping Dogs,&#8221; Neill worked on several TV shows and films in Australia, including the TV show &#8220;The Sullivans&#8221; and the 1979 films, &#8220;The Journalist&#8221; and &#8220;Just Out of Reach.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In 1981, he starred in his first international role for &#8220;Omen III: The Final Conflict,&#8221; in which he played Damien Thorn.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"RxNCg SbJgJ ykkUm PvZ nIjPJ PMXYp LmsHF SfAHY mNgye lNbol LBPRq rBLIK \">&#8216;Jurassic Park&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Of all the roles he&#8217;s had, his portrayal of Dr. Alan Grant in the 1993 film &#8220;Jurassic Park&#8221; is perhaps his most well-known. The science fiction action Steven Spielberg directed-film, based on Michael Chrichton&#8217;s 1990 novel of the same name, followed a team of genetic scientists who have created a wildlife park of de-extinct dinosaurs. Neill&#8217;s character was inspired by paleontologist Jack Horner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In a 2022 interview with <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/simonthompson\/2022\/06\/09\/sam-neill-talks-jurassic-world-dominion-and-why-alan-grant-remains-a-crusty-old-btard\/?sh=42c906fa35ae\" target=\"_blank\">Forbes<\/a>, Neill said, &#8220;Alan Grant is like an old comfortable pair of boots.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/f805a833-bbf7-429a-bb02-f89f7023eeb3\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-04-gty-jt-231018_1697669653743_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/f805a833-bbf7-429a-bb02-f89f7023eeb3\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-04-gty-jt-231018_1697669653743_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/f805a833-bbf7-429a-bb02-f89f7023eeb3\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-04-gty-jt-231018_1697669653743_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/f805a833-bbf7-429a-bb02-f89f7023eeb3\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-04-gty-jt-231018_1697669653743_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/f805a833-bbf7-429a-bb02-f89f7023eeb3\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-04-gty-jt-231018_1697669653743_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">Actor Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant, with Ariana Richards (left) and Joseph Mazzello (right) as Lex and Tim, are shown in a scene from the 1993 film &#8220;Jurassic Park.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Murray Close\/Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;They&#8217;ve seen better days, byt they&#8217;re really comfortable, and there&#8217;s no way you&#8217;ll get rid of those,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Neill also reprised his character in &#8220;Jurassic Park III&#8221; and &#8220;Jurassic World Dominion.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">While looking back at his film career portraying Dr. Alan Grant, the actor said that the franchise &#8220;took me completely by surprise.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur gIjeL \" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/8827d6bd-3d27-47fb-b20a-9f571b450b9a\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-01-gty-jt-231018_1697669565388_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/8827d6bd-3d27-47fb-b20a-9f571b450b9a\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-01-gty-jt-231018_1697669565388_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/8827d6bd-3d27-47fb-b20a-9f571b450b9a\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-01-gty-jt-231018_1697669565388_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/8827d6bd-3d27-47fb-b20a-9f571b450b9a\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-01-gty-jt-231018_1697669565388_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/8827d6bd-3d27-47fb-b20a-9f571b450b9a\/sam-neill-jurassic-park-01-gty-jt-231018_1697669565388_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">Actors Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm, Richard Attenborough as John Hammond, Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler and Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant, watching a robotic arm handle the dinosaur eggs in a scene from the 1993 film &#8220;Jurassic Park.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Murray Close\/Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;I never thought there would be another one, let alone six in total,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I also never imagined that that first film would, in particular, would make a place for itself so much in popular culture. People can quote the lines. Alan Grant taking off his dark glasses to see things has become a meme. You just do them at the time, and then 30 years later, it&#8217;s still part of people&#8217;s lives. It&#8217;s baffling, really.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"RxNCg SbJgJ ykkUm PvZ nIjPJ PMXYp LmsHF SfAHY mNgye lNbol LBPRq rBLIK \">&#8216;Merlin,&#8217; &#8216;Peaky Blinders&#8217; and othe roles<\/h2>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Following &#8220;Jurassic Park,&#8221; Neill starred in a number of films including &#8220;Bicentennial Man&#8221; alongside Robin Williams, and the 1997 science fiction horror film &#8220;Event Horizon.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">He also starred in &#8220;Merlin,&#8221; playing the mythical wizard, and the historical drama, &#8220;The Tudors.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur \" style=\"padding-bottom:66.55092592592592%\" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/s.abcnews.com\/images\/US\/sam-neill-gty-jt-230317_1679079138691_hpMain.jpg\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">In this Oct. 11, 2019, file photo, actor Sam Neill attends a press conference at the Sitges Fantastic Film Festival in Sitges, Spain.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">Borja B. Hojas\/Getty Images, FILE<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In an interview with The West Australian in 2008, Neill called the role of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in &#8220;The Tudors,&#8221; &#8220;immensely intriguing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;It was six months with a character that I found immensely intriguing, with a cast that I liked very much and with a story I found very compelling.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Later in his career, Neill appeared in &#8220;Thor: Ragnarok&#8221; and &#8220;Thor: Love and Thunder.&#8221; He also voiced the character, Tommy Brock, in &#8220;Peter Rabbit.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"RxNCg SbJgJ ykkUm PvZ nIjPJ PMXYp LmsHF SfAHY mNgye lNbol LBPRq rBLIK \">Awards and honors<\/h2>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Throughout his career, Neill received many awards as an actor but the award that was perhaps most meaningful to him was when he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1991, which he was able to share with his father, just before he died.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;I got a letter and I took the letter and dad was in his bed on his way out and I said, &#8216;Dad, they&#8217;re giving me an OBE,'&#8221; Neill recalled in a 2017 <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch\/?v=10158070696760543\" target=\"_blank\">interview<\/a> with Julia Zemiro of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation iview show, &#8220;Home Delivery.&#8221; &#8220;And he said, &#8216;I&#8217;m very proud of you.'&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In 2022, Neill also earned the title of Sir as a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"RxNCg SbJgJ ykkUm PvZ nIjPJ PMXYp LmsHF SfAHY mNgye lNbol LBPRq rBLIK \">Battle with cancer<\/h2>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">While promoting his memoir, &#8220;Did I Ever Tell You This?,&#8221; in March 2023, Neill told The Guardian that he was being <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodmorningamerica.com\/culture\/story\/jurassic-park-star-sam-neill-treated-stage-3-97946464\" target=\"_blank\">treated for stage 3 blood cancer.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The previous year, he had opened up about his diagnosis, saying he is cancer free, but will continue to receive chemotherapy. While undergoing chemotherapy, he told the outlet that he had experienced &#8220;dark moments.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;Those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief, you know, and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Just pleased to be alive.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In 2022, Neill was diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, &#8220;a rare, often but not always, aggressive (fast-growing) form of peripheral T-cell lymphoma,&#8221; according to the Lymphoma Research Foundation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"oLzSq QrHMO fnRUo pvsTF EhJPu vPlOC zNYgW OsTsW RMeqy daRVX ISNQ sKyCY eRftA acPPc MENS nFwaT MCnQE mEeeY SmBjI xegrY rPLsU iulOd NIuqO zzscu lzDCc aHUBM IEgzD OjMNy eQqcx SVqKB GQmdz jaoD VWDdR ONJdw vrZxD OnRTz gbbfF roDbV GPGwb oMlSS gfNzt oJhud eXZcf zhVlX \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW \" data-testid=\"prism-inline-image\">\n<figure class=\"kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO \" data-testid=\"prism-figure\">\n<div class=\"GpQCA lZur \" style=\"padding-bottom:65.21739130434783%\" data-testid=\"prism-ratio-frame\">\n<div class=\"FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV \"><picture data-testid=\"prism-picture\"><source media=\"(max-width: 414px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/6a62e5d2-a401-49c8-899f-aed63f7cbd3f\/sam-neill-gty-jt-231018_1697669734207_hpEmbed_23x15.jpg?w=375, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/6a62e5d2-a401-49c8-899f-aed63f7cbd3f\/sam-neill-gty-jt-231018_1697669734207_hpEmbed_23x15.jpg?w=750 2x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 415px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/6a62e5d2-a401-49c8-899f-aed63f7cbd3f\/sam-neill-gty-jt-231018_1697669734207_hpEmbed_23x15.jpg?w=750, https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/6a62e5d2-a401-49c8-899f-aed63f7cbd3f\/sam-neill-gty-jt-231018_1697669734207_hpEmbed_23x15.jpg?w=1500 2x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"hsDdd NDJZt sJeUN IJwXl vBqtr KrDt itslR SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI \" data-testid=\"prism-image\" draggable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/6a62e5d2-a401-49c8-899f-aed63f7cbd3f\/sam-neill-gty-jt-231018_1697669734207_hpEmbed_23x15.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW aiQHS lZur \" data-testid=\"prism-caption\">\n<p><span class=\"hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz \" data-testid=\"prism-truncate\"><span><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ \">Sam Neill as Merlin and Paul Curran as King Arthur Pendragon are shown in a scene from the TV miniseries &#8220;Merlin.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh \">NBCUniversal via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">According to The Guardian, Neill said he first experienced swollen glands during publicity for &#8220;Jurassic World Dominion&#8221; in March 2022 and was diagnosed with AITL not long after. The actor &#8220;received chemotherapy, but when that started to fail, he embarked on a new chemotherapy drug which he will continue to receive monthly for the rest of his life, although he is now cancer-free,&#8221; the outlet reported.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In his memoir, according to The Guardian, Neill writes that he is &#8220;possibly dying&#8221; and that he &#8220;may have to speed this up.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">He told the outlet that writing the book gave him &#8220;a reason to live.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">&#8220;I would go to bed thinking, &#8216;I&#8217;ll write about that tomorrow \u2026 that will entertain me,'&#8221; he said. &#8220;And so it was a lifesaver really, because I couldn&#8217;t have gone through that with nothing to do, you know.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Neill is survived by his children, Elena Neill, who he shared with ex-wife, Noriko Watanabe, and Tim Neill, who he shares with New Zealand actress Lisa Harrow.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The statement on Neill&#8217;s social media account thanked the staff at St Vincent&#8217;s Private Hospital, in Sydney&#8217;s suburb of Darlinghurst, praising them for &#8220;their incredible care.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC eTIW sUzSN \">&#8220;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,&#8221; the statement said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Actor Sam Neill, known for his roles in the &#8220;Jurassic Park&#8221; films and &#8220;Peaky Blinders,&#8221; died on Sunday, according to his official social media account. He was 78. &#8220;Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life,&#8221; the statement, which was posted early on Monday, said. &#8220;The loss&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4984,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/a75601a5-9766-4514-a936-d9ef80d2b597\/sam-neill-gty-jt-230317_1679079138691_hpMain_16x9.jpg?w=1600","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abc-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4983","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4983"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4983\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4984"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}