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Sam Neill tribute: From Jurassic Park to Peaky Blinders, remembering a true pop culture legend
By Priyanka Roy
Published : 13 Jul 2026, 12:08PM
Sam Neill, the actor best known for his role in the Jurassic Park franchise, Peaky Blinders and a host of independent films, has passed away. The multiple Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy nominee was 78 and fought a long battle with cancer.
“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia,” a post on Neill’s social media feed on Monday morning (in India). “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.”
Born Nigel John Dermot Neill, Sam was born in 1947 in Omagh, Northern Island. He and his family moved back to his father’s South Pacific homeland in 1954. In 1979, he achieved a Cannes outing and subsequent international recognition for his performance in the widely successful Judy Davis-led My Brilliant Career
One of his most memorable outings was in the Jurassic Park franchise where he dodged dinosaurs as the inimitable Dr Alan Grant and played Holly Hunter’s husband in The Piano.
Outside of film, Neill appeared in numerous television series in guest and recurring roles, including Reilly, Ace of Spies (1983), The Simpsons (1994), The Tudors (2007), Crusoe (2008–2010), Happy Town (2010), Alcatraz (2012), and Rick and Morty (2019). He also starred as Major Chester Campbell in the first two series of Peaky Blinders (2013–2014)
In 2023, Neill disclosed he had been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
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