Actor Sam Neill died of pneumonia, agent says

New Zealand-born actor Sam Neill died on Monday in a Sydney hospital, with his long-time agent Philip Grenz stating that pneumonia was the cause of death. Grenz said he spoke with Neill’s family to correct media reports he described as inaccurate.

The 78-year-old, known for roles in "Jurassic Park" and "Peaky Blinders," had announced in April that he was in remission after treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and his family said he remained cancer-free at the time of his death.

Grenz added that Neill had worked on four projects in the past year, all slated for release in the coming months, and that a private family memorial will be held at the actor’s farm in New Zealand at a later date.

Tributes were issued by colleagues and public figures, including co-star Laura Dern, actress Toni Collette and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Neill’s most recent screen appearances were in the 2025 releases "The Fox" and the Netflix series "Untamed," and he is expected to appear posthumously in upcoming films scheduled for 2027.