According to the Guardian on 13/7, a family representative stated that he passed away surrounded by loved ones, but the cause of death was not disclosed. In late April, Neill had shared that his condition had improved after nearly three years of treatment for stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare blood cancer, which was discovered in 2022.

On social media platform X, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute: "Sam Neill featured in many films loved by Australian audiences and held a special place in the hearts of Australians. He was witty, profound, and understated. Sam faced his illness with the dignity, humor, and conviction that empowered all his roles. He will be remembered for a long time."

Sam Neill, born Nigel John Dermot Neill in 1947 in Omagh, Northern Ireland, had an English mother and a New Zealand father. He moved to New Zealand in 1954. At 11 years old, the actor adopted the nickname Sam, believing his birth name made him prone to teasing at school. On "The Kelly Clarkson Show", he once called this "the best decision of my life".

Neill studied law at the University of Canterbury but dropped out after one year to pursue acting. He participated in school plays before moving to Wellington to work as an actor at the Downstage theater, earning around 35 USD per week at the time.

After several minor roles on local television, Neill achieved his breakthrough with "Sleeping Dogs" (1977), the first New Zealand film released in the US. Subsequently, he appeared in notable works such as "My Brilliant Career" (1979), "Omen III" (1981), "Possession" (1981), "Evil Angels" ("A Cry in the Dark", 1988) alongside Meryl Streep, and "The Hunt for Red October" (1990). "Ivanhoe" (1982) made him a familiar face in Sweden, where the film aired annually for over four decades.

Sam Neill in "Jurassic Park". Photo: Universal Pictures

The year 1993 marked a turning point that propelled Sam Neill to international stardom, as he appeared in two projects simultaneously: Jane Campion's "The Piano", which won three Academy Awards at the 66th ceremony, and Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park". In Spielberg's film, he portrayed doctor Alan Grant. The role was initially intended for actor Harrison Ford but ultimately went to Neill. He reprised the character in "Jurassic Park III" and "Jurassic World Dominion".

Over 50 years, Sam Neill participated in more than 150 film and television projects. He was renowned for portraying both romantic leads and villains. In 1986, he was a strong candidate to replace Roger Moore as James Bond, but Timothy Dalton was ultimately chosen. In 2016, Neill appeared in Taika Waititi's "Hunt for the Wilderpeople". The film's success led to his guest roles in "Thor: Ragnarok" and "Thor: Love and Thunder".

On television, he made his mark as major Chester Campbell in "Peaky Blinders", along with series "The Twelve", "The Tudors", "The Simpsons", and "Rick and Morty". He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as spy Sidney Reilly in the series "Reilly, Ace of Spies" (1983).

Beyond acting, Neill owned the Two Paddocks farm and vineyard in Central Otago, New Zealand. He once stated that running it consumed significant time and money but brought him joy. He named his farm animals after colleagues, such as chicken Laura Dern, duck Kylie Minogue, and cow Helena Bonham Carter.

In his 2023 memoir, "Did I Ever Tell You About This?", Neill revealed he underwent chemotherapy for one year after being diagnosed with blood cancer. Although his illness was under control when the book was released, he still required monthly maintenance treatment.

In a 2023 interview with the Guardian, he said: "I'm not afraid of death, but I will have regrets. I really want to live for another one or two decades. My family and I have built beautiful terraces, planted olive and cypress trees. I want to see them grow, to see my grandchildren mature. As for death? I'm not too concerned."

In 1991, Sam Neill was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), one of the five distinguished ranks of the British Monarchy, for his contributions to acting.

Regarding his personal life, the actor had four children and eight grandchildren. According to the Times, in his early 20s, he had his first son, Andrew, with a woman. Due to circumstances at the time, Andrew was given up for adoption after birth. The two reunited in 1994 after 25 years apart.

In the early 1980s, the actor lived with actress Lisa Harrow and had a son, Tim. In 1989, he married makeup artist Noriko Watanabe. The two had a daughter, Elena, and also raised Maiko, Watanabe's daughter from a previous relationship. After separating in 2017, he dated Australian journalist Laura Tingle from 2018 to 2021.

Cat Tien (according to Guardian)