"Sudden" Death of "Jurassic Park" Star Sam Neill at 78

Sam Neill, the star of the famous “Jurassic Park” film series, died in Australia yesterday at the age of 78, according to a family statement that described the death as “sudden and unexpected.” The New Zealand actor had undergone treatment for lymphoma in recent years, but announced earlier this year that he was cancer-free. The family statement read, “With deep sorrow, the family of Sam Neill announces his passing in Sydney, Australia,” adding that it was “a sudden and unexpected loss.” New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described Neill as “one of the greats,” while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he held “a special place in the hearts of Australians.” Neill was born in Northern Ireland as Nigel John Dermot in 1947, but moved to New Zealand while still a child. In the early 1970s, he began acting in New Zealand films before moving on to larger roles in Australia. His international breakthrough came in 1993 when he played Dr. Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster “Jurassic Park.”