Jurassic Park legend Sam Neill dies

New Zealand actor Sam Neill died on Monday in Australia at the age of 78, after recovering from the cancer with which he had previously been diagnosed, his family announced in a statement, according to Reuters, AFP, and DPA.

"Sam was surrounded by his family and passed away with the dignity that defined his entire life," the statement, published on Neill's Instagram page, said.

"The loss was sudden and unexpected," it added.

Neill died in Sydney, Australia, and his family thanked a private hospital in the city for the medical care he received, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

Best known for portraying Dr. Alan Grant in the iconic "Jurassic Park" franchise, Neill revealed in April that he was in remission after undergoing CAR-T cell therapy for stage three blood cancer.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to the actor, saying: "Wry and understated, profound and humble, Sam fought his illness with the dignity, humor, and conviction that gave strength to every role he played."

Neill was diagnosed in 2022 with stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which led him to take a brief break from acting.

Born in Omagh, Northern Ireland, to a British mother and a New Zealand father, Neill first gained attention for his role in the 1977 thriller "Sleeping Dogs." His international breakthrough came in 1993 with "Jurassic Park," a role he reprised in "Jurassic Park III" (2001) and "Jurassic World Dominion" (2022).

Throughout a career spanning more than five decades, Neill appeared in dozens of acclaimed films and television productions. Among his most celebrated performances were roles in "The Piano" (1993), "The Hunt for Red October" (1990), "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" (2016), and the television series "Peaky Blinders." He was widely regarded as one of New Zealand's most accomplished and respected actors.

Photo: IMDB