"Jurassic Park" star Sam Neill's cause of death revealed

Sam Neill, the beloved actor celebrated for his roles in "Jurassic Park," "The Piano," and "Hunt for the Wilderpeople," passed away this week at the age of 78. His agent, Philip Grenz, confirmed to the Associated Press that the cause of death was pneumonia. This clarification came after initial reports contained inaccuracies regarding his health status.

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Sam passed away from pneumonia.

Grenz stated that prior to falling ill, Neill had "valiantly fought and beaten lymphoma" through a new CAR-T therapy treatment. The actor had publicly shared his diagnosis of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma in 2023 and announced he was in remission in April. His family's announcement noted that he "remained cancer free" at the time of his death, describing the passing as "sudden and unexpected."

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Prior to becoming sick, Sam had valiantly fought and beaten lymphoma through a new treatment called CAR-T therapy.

Colleagues from the film industry have shared heartfelt tributes, remembering Neill for his kindness, wit, and collaborative spirit. Director Taika Waititi, who worked with Neill on "Hunt for the Wilderpeople," expressed his deep affection, while Steven Spielberg, who directed Neill in the original "Jurassic Park," recalled their enjoyable collaborations. Spielberg emphasized that Neill would "never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world."

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You are so loved and will be sorely missed by us all.

Beyond his acting career, Neill was known for his private nature and his contributions to community projects in New Zealand, where he also ran a vineyard. A private memorial service is planned for his farm in New Zealand at a later date, honoring his wish to avoid public fuss.

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I adored making all the Jurassic movies with him.