Sam Neill, Jurassic Park star, dies at 78
New Zealand actor Sam Neill died on July 13 in Sydney at age 78. Born Nigel John Dermot Neill on September 14, 1947 in Omagh, County Tyrone, he moved to New Zealand in 1954 and later adopted the name Sam. His career spanned over 150 credits across 60 years, including iconic roles in Jurassic Park (1993), The Piano (1993), Possession (1981), Dead Calm (1989), and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016). He was almost cast as James Bond and voiced a magpie in The Fox (2025). Neill was known for his warmth, especially during lockdown video missives from his New Zealand vineyard Two Paddocks. He is survived by his family.
Key facts
- Sam Neill died on July 13 in Sydney at age 78.
- He was born Nigel John Dermot Neill on September 14, 1947 in Omagh, County Tyrone.
- He moved to New Zealand in 1954 and adopted the name Sam.
- His career included over 150 credits across 60 years.
- Notable films: Jurassic Park (1993), The Piano (1993), Possession (1981), Dead Calm (1989), Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016).
- He was almost cast as James Bond.
- He owned Two Paddocks vineyard in New Zealand.
- He voiced a magpie in The Fox (2025).
Entities
Artists
- Sam Neill
- Nigel John Dermot Neill
- Laura Dern
- Jeff Goldblum
- Isabelle Adjani
- Nicole Kidman
- Billy Zane
- Judy Davis
- Gillian Armstrong
- Eleanor Witcombe
- Miles Franklin
- Luciana Arrighi
- Wendy Hughes
- Patricia Kennedy
- Julia Blake
- Harrison Ford
- Steven Spielberg
- John Williams
- Philip Noyce
- Charles Williams
- Paul Anderson
- Rob Sitch
- Taika Waititi
- Timothy Dalton
- Dario Russo
- Jane Campion
- Roger Donaldson
- Andrzej Żuławski
- Dermott Neill
- Priscilla Neill
- Edith Somerville
- Violet Ross
- Sebastian Black
- Judy Black
- Mark Neill
- Michael Neill
- Stephen A Russell
Institutions
- Universal Pictures
- Amblin Entertainment
- Marianne Productions
- Soma Film Produktion
- Margaret Fink Films
- Aardvark Films
- Broadbank Films
- Piki Films
- ArtsHub
- ScreenHub
- Cinemanaics
- The Sullivans
- The Tudors
- The Twelve
- Peaky Blinders
- House of Hancock
- Omen III: The Final Conflict
- Event Horizon
- The Dish
- The Fox
- My Brilliant Career
- Sleeping Dogs
- Dead Calm
- Possession
- Jurassic Park
- The Piano
- Hunt for the Wilderpeople
- Two Paddocks
- Royal Irish Fusiliers
- British Army
- St Barrahane's Church of Ireland
- IRA
- The New York Times
Locations
- Sydney
- Australia
- Omagh
- County Tyrone
- Northern Ireland
- New Zealand
- Aotearoa
- Dunedin
- Christchurch
- Melbourne
- Hawaii
- Aoraki Mount Cook
- Castlehaven Bay
- West Cork
- Ireland