'Jurassic Park' star Sam Neill Dead: Actor, 76, Dies Months After Beating Cancer as Family Express Shock at Passing
'Jurassic Park' star Sam Neill has passed away aged 76 months after revealing he was cancer-free.
July 13 2026, Published 6:52 a.m. ET
Jurassic Park star Sam Neill has died aged 76 — months after declaring he was cancer-free.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Kiwi actor announced in April he has beaten the illness, but passed away on Monday in a Sydney hospital.
'The Loss Was Sudden And Unexpected'
Neill's family detailed their shock over his passing in emotional statement.
Writing on his Instagram page, they wrote: "It is with immense sadness that the whānau (family) of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13 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.
"More details will be shared later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss."
'I Looked Like I Was On My Way Out'
Neill spoke of cancer treatment that prolonged his life after chemotherapy stopped working.
Neill, best known for playing Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise, announced in April tests had found he was cancer-free.
He had been battling a type of blood cancer and claimed a costly, cutting-edge treatment prolonged his life, after chemotherapy stopped working.
Neill said: "I've been living with a particular type of lymphoma for about five years and I was on chemotherapy and it's a pretty miserable business, but it was keeping me alive.
"Then the chemo stopped working. I was at a loss and it looked like I was on the way out, which wasn't ideal obviously."
Neill underwent a special treatment called CAR T-cell therapy, which genetically modifies a patient's own T-cells to recognise and destroy cancer cells. Private treatment costs around $AUD540,000.
'There Is No Cancer In My Body'
The actor told of his excitement after no cancer was detected in his body.
"I've just had a scan just now and there is no cancer in my body, that's an extraordinary thing. I'm very, very excited that this can happen," he said at the time.
The treatment is currently in clinical trials to treat another blood cancer, myeloma.
Neill, who was married twice and fathered four children, also said he was planning to make a return to acting.
"It's time I did another movie," he said.
Neill first went public with his cancer battle in 2023 having being diagnosed the previous year after initially experiencing swollen glands.
He found out about his stage-three blood cancer while he was promoting Jurassic World Dominion in 2022.
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Neill was keen to start on another movie.
In that film he reprised his role as Grant alongside original co-stars Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, as well as Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.
He told Australian Story at the time: "I'm not in any way frightened of dying. That doesn't worry me. It's never worried me from the beginning, but I would be annoyed.
"I'd be annoyed because there are things I still want to do. Very irritating, dying. But I'm not afraid of it."
"We've built all these lovely terraces, we've got these olive trees and cypresses, and I want to be around to see it all mature. And I've got my lovely little grandchildren. I want to see them get big."
