Actor Sam Neill, widely recognized for his roles in the "Jurassic Park" film franchise, died from pneumonia, a representative confirmed on Wednesday. Neill was 78.
A statement from his manager, Philip Grenz, indicated that prior to his illness, Neill had successfully undergone treatment for lymphoma using CAR-T therapy. The statement announcing his death earlier in the week noted that he was surrounded by family and passed away peacefully, remaining cancer-free.
Neill, also known for his performance in "Peaky Blinders," had completed filming on four projects within the last year, all slated for future release. He had publicly disclosed his diagnosis of stage 3 blood cancer in March 2023 while promoting his memoir, "Did I Ever Tell You This?" His diagnosis in 2022 was angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, described by the Lymphoma Research Foundation as a rare and potentially aggressive form of peripheral T-cell lymphoma.
Family members plan to hold a private memorial service on Neill's farm in New Zealand at a date yet to be determined, respecting his desire for privacy.