Actor Sam Neill had been intensely fighting various forms of cancer for at least five years before his death, according to his ex-partner Laura Tingle. Tingle, an Australian journalist who dated Neill from 2018 to 2021, stated that the actor had undergone significant chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments.
"Thankfully, it had finally cleared him of the blood cancer that he had. But that left him pretty compromised in terms of his immune system. I think his poor old body sort of got a bit exhausted," Tingle said on "Sydney Mornings." She added that Neill had been "pretty sick for the last couple of weeks" prior to his passing.
Neill's family announced his death on July 13 in Sydney, Australia, at the age of 78. A statement shared via Instagram indicated that he was surrounded by family and that his passing was "sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free." The family expressed gratitude to the staff at St. Vincent's Private Hospital for their care and requested privacy.
Following the news, Neill's "Jurassic Park" co-star Laura Dern paid tribute to the actor. "Sam was my beloved lifetime friend. He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness and love always with the driest of wit," Dern stated. She described Neill as "a true and noble gentleman" and her "dream leading man," concluding with "I will love you forever, Dr. Alan Grant," referencing their characters from the 1993 film.
In October 2023, Neill had announced he was cancer-free after his battle with a rare and aggressive form of the disease. He had previously expressed in a 2023 interview that he would be "annoyed" if he died before accomplishing certain goals.