Joseph Mazzello, who starred as Tim Murphy in the 1993 film Jurassic Park, has expressed his grief following the death of his co-star Sam Neill. Neill died on Monday at the age of 78.

Mazzello, 43, shared a tearful video on social media reflecting on Neill's impact. "I woke up today to the news about Sam," he said. "I had been following his cancer diagnosis and recovery, and was so happy and thankful when I found out he was cancer-free. So this just comes as an extra gut punch."

Mazzello recalled that he and Neill had remained in contact since their time working on the Steven Spielberg film. "A few months ago I put up a post about selling a boat and he commented, 'All the best, Joey.' I didn't even know he was following me... I didn't know he even thought about me anymore," Mazzello said. "But he was still rooting for me 33 years later... That was so special to me, to know that. This was a defining moment in my life, a defining collaboration and partnership."

Mazzello, who was nine years old when he worked with Neill, then 45, on Jurassic Park, noted Neill's professionalism as a scene partner. "It's not easy working with kids, but Sam only pretended to hate us! He was an amazing scene partner, it doesn't feel that long ago that we were ad-libbing and climbing down trees together. I'm so thankful to him," Mazzello added.

Neill, widely known for his role as Dr. Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise, passed away in Sydney, Australia. His family confirmed his death was "sudden and unexpected" in a statement posted to Instagram, noting that he had been diagnosed with a type of blood cancer and had previously announced he was cancer-free in April.

Other Jurassic Park cast members, including Laura Dern and director Steven Spielberg, also shared tributes. Dern, who played Dr. Ellie Sattler, remembered Neill as her "beloved lifetime friend" and a "true and noble gentleman." Spielberg stated he owed a debt of gratitude to the directors who cast Neill, leading to his role in Jurassic Park, and fondly recalled their collaborative work on the films.