Actor Sam Neill, known for Jurassic Park, dies at 78

Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor best known for his role as paleontologist Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, has died in Sydney at the age of 78. His family said the death was sudden and unexpected. Neill’s career spanned film and television for decades, moving from early work in Australian and New Zealand cinema to major international projects. He appeared in films including The Piano, Dead Calm, The Hunt for Red October and Event Horizon, and later returned to the Jurassic Park franchise in 2001 and 2022. In 2023, Neill said he had been diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer and had undergone treatment. He also worked in television, including roles in Peaky Blinders, Merlin, Invasion and Apples Never Fall. Outside acting, he was known for his wine label, Two Paddocks, and his memoir published in 2023.