Tributes from Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond are starting to flood in for Sam Neill.
News broke earlier today (July 13th) that the great Kiwi actor has died the age of 78. Neill’s family confirmed his death in a statement shared on social media.
“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia,” the statement read. “Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life.
“The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free. They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their incredible care.
“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.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon hailed Neill as “one of the greats.”
“He started out when there was barely a film industry in this country to speak of. For more than fifty years he took New Zealand stories to the world and his talents helped make our film industry into what it is today – one of our greatest cultural exports” the PM added.
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Labour leader Chris Hipkins praised Neill as “a giant of the screen,” an actor “who took our stories to the world and yet still felt like one of us.”
“He had a strong sense of social justice and regularly advocated for the underdog. Sam made us proud to be Kiwis and we couldn’t have been prouder of him,” Hipkins said. “My thoughts are with Sam’s family and the countless people he inspired.”
From Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared the following statement: “Sam fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance.
“He will be much mourned and long remembered. Sam Neill starred in so many beloved Australian stories and he earned a special place in Australian hearts.”
Away from politics, Colin Trevorrow, who directed Neill in Jurassic World, paid tribute on social media.
“He was a friend and collaborator at a challenging time, and his strength gave us all strength. I’ll remember him for his tranquility, his love of wine, and for the calm assuredness he brought to his characters,” Trevorrow wrote.
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One of New Zealand’s most celebrated screen exports, Neill became an international star through his portrayal of palaeontologist Dr. Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park (1993), later reprising the role in Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022).
His extensive filmography also included My Brilliant Career, The Piano, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, The Omen III: The Final Conflict, and television roles in Peaky Blinders and Merlin.
