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Actor Sam Neill, known for his role in the film Jurassic Park, died this Monday "suddenly and unexpectedly" in Australia at the age of 78, his family indicated in a statement.
"Sam was surrounded by his family and passed away with the dignity that characterized his entire life," the note stated, without providing details about the causes of his death.
The actor, who played paleontologist Alan Grant in the 1993 blockbuster film Jurassic Park, directed by Steven Spielberg, revealed in his 2023 memoir that he was "possibly dying" from stage-three non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
But last April, he declared he was cancer-free thanks to a gene therapy that modified his immune system.
According to the statement, the performer had been receiving treatment at St Vincent's private hospital in Sydney.
"The loss was sudden and unexpected, but blessed by the fact that Sam was still cancer-free," the family specified.
Upon learning of his passing, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon paid tribute to the actor and his work, considering him "one of the greats."
"For more than fifty years he brought New Zealand's stories to the world, and his talent helped make our film industry what it is today: one of our greatest cultural exports," the leader affirmed in a statement.
His Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, also said that Neill held "a special place in Australian hearts."
"Ironic and dry, thoughtful and laconic, Sam fought the disease with the same dignity, humor, and conviction that gave strength to each of his performances," he maintained.
- "Great enthusiasm" -
Born in Northern Ireland in 1947, Neill moved to New Zealand's rugged South Island when he was a child.
He was baptized as "Nigel John Dermot," but abandoned that name in favor of "Sam" because he feared it was too "effeminate" for New Zealand.
"It was I who encouraged the nickname because I thought that way it would be a little less likely that I would be victimized," he told the New Zealand newspaper Otago Daily Times.
"I clung to 'Sam' with great enthusiasm," he added.
Neill's acting career began in New Zealand in the early 1970s, before he landed bigger roles in neighboring Australia.
His leap to global fame came in 1993, when he participated in the Hollywood blockbuster Jurassic Park. But his vast career also included dozens of roles in film and television, including the Netflix series "Peaky Blinders" and the movies "The Hunt for Red October" and "The Piano."
When he wasn't acting, Neill also managed vineyards in the picturesque Central Otago region of New Zealand.
[Publicidad]