RIP Sam Neill

[blogslug]

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/13/sam-neill-death-actor-dies-aged-78

Sam Neill, the versatile New Zealand actor whose career spanned Oscar winners and blockbusters such as The Piano and Jurassic Park, has died aged 78.

The actor’s death was announced on Monday in a statement shared on his Instagram account. No cause of death was given, but Neill had only recently revealed he was cancer-free after being diagnosed with stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, in 2022.
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“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia. 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...

I really really liked him. ❤️

[canetoad]

1. Thanks for the post

I read this, literally five minutes ago. Sam Neill has been around forever. Really enjoyed his acting.

[irisblue]

2. I really liked him in The Hunt for Red October.

Rest in peace

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

3. RIP.

[BlueMTexpat]

4. He was also

very good in Peaky Blinders!

The character he played was awful!

RIP, Sam! Definitely one of the good ones!

[Tom_Foolery]

5. Rest in Peace......

He will forever be one of my favorite actors. He gave so many great performances.

[hlthe2b]

6. Oh, my! He was a real favorite of mine...

I missed the announcement of his T-cell lymphoma. Damn...

Thank you for all your work. Through it (and others) I know you will be fondly remembered.

[DarthDem]

7. Incredibly Charismatic Actor

And by all accounts a supremely nice guy. I'm sad. RIP.

[TommieMommy]

8. Rip 🙏Sam was so great in everything he did. He will be missed. 💙

[Sympthsical]

9. Oh, this is sad

When I was a kid, we had a second run theater in walking distance of our neighborhood. One of those $1.50 affairs. My best friend loved Jurassic Park. During late summer, the heat and humidity kind of sucked. So what we'd do is get up early, walk to the comic book shop, grab a few things, then go to the second run theater and get a ticket to Jurassic Park. If you sat at the end of the row, the light along the walls was enough to read by. We'd just sit in the theater all day with our graphic novels and Dungeons and Dragons stuff and sit through Jurassic Park three or four times. Theater employees never cared.

I swear, I think I ended up seeing that movie in the theater like 20 times that summer.

Fond memories.

Also, he was best Merlin.

[Liberal In Texas]

10. I always enjoyed seeing him in whatever show he was in.

The last thing we saw him was a Netflix series Untamed where they didn't plan on having him for season 2 as they killed off the character.
You were one of the great ones, Sam!
RIP

[rampartd]

11. Whānau for the maori challenged

Whānau is a Māori term for extended family, encompassing multiple generations, shared responsibilities, and a deep sense of connection and belonging.

[biocube]

12. Wow. RIP "Alan Grant"

That's how I'll remember him.

[Solly Mack]

13. I hate that. I enjoyed his acting.

[kentuck]

14. I liked him in Reilly, Ace of Spies

I think it was a PBS series?

[Wuddles440]

15. Yes! Really enjoyed him and that series,...

but it seems like it's not even being mentioned in the media coverage of his death.

[allegorical oracle]

17. Yep -- was a PBS series -- and sort've introduced him to U.S. audiences. He was

perfect in the role. Surely was a handsome devil....

[MustLoveBeagles]

16. RIP