Renowned actor Sam Neill passed away from pneumonia, according to a statement released by his agent on Thursday aimed at clearing up any confusion for his followers.
The actor died in Australia on Monday at age 78, his family previously shared. At the time of his passing, he was free of cancer, though his family’s initial statement did not specify the exact cause of his death.
In an effort to provide clear information, his long-time representative Philip Grenz reached out to the public broadcaster Radio New Zealand.
”I spoke with his family and wish to clarify some details for his fans,” long-time agent Philip Grenz said in a statement to public broadcaster Radio New Zealand.
”Sam passed away from pneumonia. Prior to becoming sick, Sam had valiantly fought and beaten lymphoma through a new treatment called CAR-T therapy.”
Grenz also noted that the actor’s relatives intend to hold an intimate gathering in New Zealand.
”As Sam was an intensely private man who loathed a fuss, his family will honor him with a private family memorial at his farm in New Zealand at a still-undetermined later date.”
Furthermore, Grenz mentioned that Neill completed work on four separate acting projects over the past year, all of which are slated for release in the “coming months”.
The actor first opened up about his health struggles in his 2023 memoir, revealing he was “possibly dying” from stage-three non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Earlier this year, however, he announced he was in remission thanks to an innovative genetic therapy that altered his immune system to fight the disease.
Born in Northern Ireland in 1947, Neill relocated to the rugged landscapes of New Zealand’s South Island during his childhood. Though he was named Nigel John Dermot at birth, he adopted the name Sam because he felt his given name sounded too “effete” for his new home country.
His career began in the early 1970s with roles in New Zealand films, eventually leading to prominent work in Australia. Neill achieved global fame in 1993 for his iconic portrayal of paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant in the hit movie “Jurassic Park”.
Outside of his Hollywood career, Neill was a passionate winemaker, overseeing vineyards in New Zealand’s scenic Central Otago region.
Since the news of his passing, tributes have poured in from close friends, local neighbors, and prominent film figures, including director Steven Spielberg as well as his “Jurassic Park” co-stars Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum.