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New Zealand actor Sam Neill died from pneumonia, agent confirms
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- New Zealand actor Sam Neill, known for Jurassic Park and Peaky Blinders, died at 78 from pneumonia, confirmed by his agent following earlier family statements describing his death as "sudden and unexpected."
- Neill had been in remission from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after undergoing CAR-T therapy, with his family stating he remained cancer-free at the time of his passing.
- Despite his illness, Neill remained professionally active, filming four projects in the past year, with several releases scheduled posthumously through 2027.
- Tributes poured in from colleagues and public figures, including Laura Dern, Toni Collette, and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, highlighting his impact and legacy.
- Neill was known for his privacy and will be honored with a private family memorial in New Zealand; he openly discussed his cancer battle in his 2023 memoir, emphasizing his love of life.
