00:00We have an update on Sam Neill's cause of death. His agent Philip Grentz confirmed to Page Six
00:05that the actor died of pneumonia. He told us,
00:07Prior to becoming sick, Sam had valiantly fought and beaten lymphoma through a new treatment
00:13called CART therapy. The statement follows news reports that Grentz said contained
00:17inaccuracies and outright falsehoods. As Sam was an intensely private man who loathed the fuss,
00:24his family will honor him with a private family memorial at his farm in New Zealand
00:28at a still undetermined later date. Grentz added that his client had just completed four back-to-back
00:34projects over the past year that are expected to be released in the coming months, something to look
00:39forward to. Here's what Page Six reported earlier this week. Sam Neill, the beloved actor best known
00:44for bringing Dr. Alan Grant to life in the Jurassic Park franchise, has died at the age of 78. Neill's
00:50family announced on July 13th that the actor passed away in Sydney, Australia. In a statement shared
00:56on Instagram, they said he was surrounded by loved ones and passed with dignity that has characterized
01:01his whole life. His family also revealed that his death was sudden and unexpected,
01:06adding that he had remained cancer-free following his battle with
01:10angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
01:15They thanked the staff at St. Vincent's Private Hospital for their care and asked for privacy
01:20as they mourn their loss. Just two months ago, Neill shared the remarkable news that he was cancer-free
01:25after undergoing CAR T-cell therapy, an immunotherapy treatment that trains the body's T-cells to fight
01:32cancer. After chemotherapy stopped working, the actor said he feared he was on the way out,
01:38but later celebrated receiving a scan that showed no cancer in his body.
01:41I'm not in any way frightened of dying. That doesn't worry. It's never worried me from the
01:50beginning. But I would be annoyed. I'd be annoyed because there are things I still want to do. But
01:57I'm not afraid of it. Neill remained active in the months leading up to his death, attending the
02:01Sydney Film Festival in June, and sharing photos from the Australian Recording Industry Association
02:06Hall of Fame ceremony, where he celebrated artists he admired. Tributes have also begun pouring in
02:12from those who knew him best. His Dead Calm co-star, Nicole Kidman, remembered Neill as one of the
02:18greats, and said he took her under his wing when they met on set at just 18 years old. She
02:24added that
02:24they remained friends for life, calling him charming, kind, funny, and intelligent. Born in Northern Ireland
02:31in 1947, Neill moved to New Zealand as a child and built a career that spanned more than five decades
02:36and over 150 acting credits. While he became a global star as paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant
02:43in 1993's Jurassic Park, he reprised the iconic role in Jurassic Park 3 and Jurassic World Dominion.
02:50His career also included standout roles in Sleeping Dogs, Dead Calm, Memoirs of an Invisible Man,
02:56and the BAFTA-winning series Peaky Blinders. More recently, he appeared in the miniseries
03:02Apples Never Fall, Untamed, and The Twelve, and he also had a role in the upcoming 2027 film
03:08Godzilla X Kong Supernova. Following the news of his death, Australian Prime Minister Anthony
03:14Albanese paid tribute to the actor, saying Sam Neill would be mourned and long remembered. He praised
03:19Neill's wit, dignity, and resilience, saying he faced illness with the same humor and conviction
03:25that defined his performances. Sam Neill leaves behind a remarkable legacy as one of the most
03:30respected and beloved actors of his generation. He was 78.
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