Sam Neill, the Jurassic Park actor, dies at 78

Actor Sam Neill passed away at the age of 78. He was best known for his starring role as Alan Grant in Jurassic Park (1993). He also starred in The Hunt for Red October and The Piano, and appeared in television series such as The Tudors and Peaky Blinders.

*Sam Neill’s Instagram Images; Obtained by GBC NEWS*

The actor’s family released a statement on Sam Neill’s social media accounts on Monday, July 13, saying that his death was sudden and unexpected, but that at the time of his passing, he was cancer-free after having been previously diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer.

“It is with immense sadness that the family of Sam Neill shares the news of his passing on Monday, July 13, in Sydney, Australia,” the statement began.

“Sam was surrounded by his family and passed away with the dignity that characterized his entire life,” the statement continued. “The loss was sudden and unexpected, but we take comfort in the fact that Sam remained cancer-free. We want to express our deepest gratitude to the staff at St. Vincent Private Hospital for their incredible care. We will share more details later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they cope with this immeasurable loss.”

Neill was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer in 2022, and in 2023, he shared that he was in remission but would likely have to undergo chemotherapy for the rest of his life. “I know I have it, but I’m not interested,” he said. “It’s out of my control. If you can’t control it, don’t mess with it.”