'Hero, legend, sweetheart': Tributes to Jurassic Park actor Sam Neill, who has died aged 78
Image: BBC News
The man who made the world flinch at a trembling water glass in Jurassic Park has died at 78 — and the tributes are pouring in from across the globe.
Sam Neill, who played paleontologist Dr Alan Grant opposite a rampaging T. rex, passed away in Sydney. His family called the death "sudden and unexpected," saying he died "surrounded by family" with the dignity that "characterised his whole life."
Beyond Jurassic Park, Neill's career spanned The Piano, The Hunt for Red October, Dead Calm and Event Horizon, plus BBC's Peaky Blinders. New Zealand's PM Christopher Luxon called him "one of the greats." Actor Toni Collette wrote simply: "You hero. You legend. You sweetheart."
Neill had faced cancer with characteristic frankness. Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2023, he said the disease went into remission, and as recently as April 2026 a scan showed no cancer in his body. His family said he "remained cancer free" at his death.
Born in Northern Ireland and raised in New Zealand, Neill became one of the country's most beloved screen exports — a versatile actor whose range far outran his most famous role.
As fans revisit his films, the outpouring underscores how a single performance — a wary scientist in the rain — can define a generation's idea of wonder and terror alike.