Hollywood star Sam Neill succumbed to pneumonia, a revelation from his long-term agent has confirmed.
The actor, known for his legendary roles in Jurassic Park and Peaky Blinders, died in a hospital on July 13 at the age of 78. His family described the event as "sudden and unexpected."
Philip Grenz, Neill's agent for 19 years, issued a statement addressing "inaccurate and outright falsehoods" circulating in the media regarding the actor's death. He stated, "As Sam Neill's longtime rep, I spoke with his family and wish to clarify some details for his fans. Sam passed away from pneumonia."
Before falling ill, Neill had bravely battled lymphoma, successfully undergoing CAR-T therapy. Grenz disclosed that Neill had recently completed filming four projects back-to-back, all set for release in the coming months.
Grenz emphasized Neill's desire for privacy, noting that his family plans to hold a private memorial at his farm in New Zealand at an unspecified future date.
"I’d like to thank those who were truly close to Sam for considering his privacy with the respect he earned and his loved ones need and deserve during this immeasurably difficult time," Grenz added.
In lieu of flowers, Neill's family requested donations to causes he supported, including the Dunstan Hospital Foundation in Central Otago and the Snowdome Foundation, which advocates for improved access to blood cancer treatments in Australia and New Zealand.
Neill's family previously stated that he had remained cancer-free after battling stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma in 2022. They expressed their immense sadness over his passing on July 13 in Sydney, Australia.
"Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized 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.
