Cillian Murphy has shared his admiration for his late "Peaky Blinders" co-star Sam Neill, who died at the age of 78. Murphy, in a statement to Page Six, described Neill as "one of the kindest, funniest and gentlest people, and one of the finest actors."
"Like everyone who knew and worked with Sam, I admired him and adored him in equal measure," Murphy said. The Oscar-winning actor concluded his heartfelt tribute with "RIP."
Neill and Murphy portrayed adversaries in the early seasons of the acclaimed British crime drama "Peaky Blinders," which ran for six seasons from 2013 to 2022. Neill played Chester Campbell, a police inspector and the main antagonist to Murphy's character, Tommy Shelby. Their characters had a complex relationship, marked by both conflict and occasional alliances, complicated further by the presence of Grace, Tommy's first love, who served as a spy for Campbell.
Neill's character was killed off in the Season 2 finale of the series. In a 2013 interview with the BBC, Neill described Inspector Campbell as "probably fairly psychotic but he’s a righteous man, an upright man." He also noted the importance of working with talented actors, stating, "It makes the day considerably more enjoyable when you’re working with people you think are good and it makes your job easier too."
Neill's family announced his death on Monday, July 13, via Instagram, stating it was "sudden and unexpected." They added that he passed away "surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life." A cause of death was not immediately announced. The news came two months after Neill shared that he was cancer-free following a battle with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.
Throughout his five-decade career, the New Zealand actor amassed over 150 acting credits. He was known for roles in "Jurassic Park," "The Hunt for Red October," and "The Piano."