Kiwi actor Sam Neill has died - tributes are rolling in

Beloved New Zealand actor Sam Neill has died.

His family confirmed the death in a social media post on Monday evening (13th July, 2026).

“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia,

“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life. The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.”

“They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their incredible care. More details will be shared later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss.”

This article was first published by the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.

Tributes:

“Sam was exceptionally collaborative. It was a stretch for him to play a character who acted as though children were messy and smelly because this was the opposite of the loving father he was to his children. I adored making all the Jurassic movies with him.” - Steven Spielberg

“Sam was my beloved lifetime friend... He was a true and noble gentleman,  wrapped up in my dream leading man. I will love you forever,  Dr. Alan Grant.” - Laura Dern

“We met when I was just 18 and he took me under his wing and we stayed friends for life,” she added. “He was charming, kind, funny and intelligent. He will be greatly missed, and my heart goes out to his family.” - Nicole Kiman

"I'll remember him for his tranquillity, his love of wine, and for the calm assuredness he brought to his characters. It's not every lifetime you get to befriend a legend." - Kevin Trevorrow

"I love you, dear Sam. You hero. You legend. You sweetheart. Our great friend. You are already missed so very much." - Toni Collette

“Like everyone who knew and worked with Sam, I admired him and adored him in equal measure. He was one of the kindest, funniest and gentlest people, and one of the finest actors. RIP.” - Cillian Murphy

"So long my dear friend. You are so loved and will be sorely missed by us all. Even though you didn't even remember it, I still think your best work is when you explain space travel by poking a pen through a piece of paper in Event Horizon (also the awesome eyes bit), and playing the antichrist, Damien Thorn, in Omen 3. I'm not sure what other roles you did but whatever. Love you and see you soon, sweet Nigel." - Taika Waititi

 "For more than fifty years he took New Zealand stories to the world and his talents helped make our film industry into what it is today – one of our greatest cultural exports." - Christopher Luxon