Actor Sam Neill, famed for his roles in Jurassic Park and The Piano, died from pneumonia on Monday, July 13, 2026, in Sydney, his family announced. His agent, Philip Grenz, told The Associated Press on Thursday, July 16, that Neill had previously fought and beaten lymphoma through CAR-T therapy before falling ill with pneumonia.

Neill had disclosed in 2023 that he was diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and declared himself cancer-free in April 2026. Despite his illness, he filmed four projects back-to-back over the past year, which are set to be released in the coming months.

Grenz emphasized Neill's private nature, stating, “As Sam was an intensely private man who loathed a fuss, his family will honour him with a private family memorial at his farm in New Zealand at a still-undetermined later date.”

Director Taika Waititi, who worked with Neill on the 2016 film Hunt For The Wilderpeople, expressed his condolences on Instagram, saying, “You are so loved and will be sorely missed by us all.” Steven Spielberg, director of the original Jurassic Park, praised Neill as “exceptionally collaborative.”

In New Zealand, Neill was remembered as a friendly and unassuming individual who avoided celebrity status and contributed to local causes and community projects near his home.

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