Sam Neill's final act before his death has been revealed
Topics: TV And Film, Celebrity, US News, Entertainment, Australia
Rhianna Benson
Featured Image Credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
Topics: TV And Film, Celebrity, US News, Entertainment, Australia
The final antics enjoyed by actor Sam Neill prior to his death have been revealed.
The beloved Jurassic Park star died unexpectedly on Monday (13 Jul), aged 78, according to an emotional statement shared by his loved ones.
"It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney, Australia," they said. "Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life."
The heartfelt message also reflected on the blood cancer diagnosis Neill received in 2023, which he was later cleared of thanks to chemotherapy and clinical trial CAR T-cell treatment.
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"The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer-free," the statement continued. "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."
In the year prior to his death, Northern Ireland-born Neill was seen to be in great health - so much so, that he filmed roles in a staggering four films, 'all of which will be released within the coming months', his longtime representative Philip Grenz confirmed.
The first will be MonsterVerse franchise hit, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, which is currently scheduled to land in cinemas next March.
The Hollywood Reporter says Neill completed filming all of his scenes for this ground-shaking blockbuster prior to his death - although details about his character are yet to be revealed.
Neill also landed a role in the upcoming rom-com The Last Resort, where he starred alongside Daisy Ridley and Alden Ehrenreich.
Though an official release date for the flick hasn't yet been confirmed beyond sometime in 2027, what we do know is that it follows a go-getter New York hotel executive who travels to the Philippines on the hunt for the perfect luxury resort location.
We also know that Neill played a character called Gerard, but that's pretty much it.
In yet another vastly different genre, Neill took a role in a Netflix limited series titled Untamed, all of which is set and was filmed in Yosemite National Park.
Viewers will see him star alongside lead Eric Bana in this mystery-thriller, which supposedly focuses on a character-driven investigation.
Again, all we know about this exciting project is that it'll land sometime next year.
The final film Neill said 'yes' to prior to his death is a historical drama about a group of students who hijacked a flight in 1956 in a bid to escape communist rule in Hungary.
Titled Freedom Flight, the project has no official release date.
As well as discussing his last professional assignment, Grenz revealed earlier this week that Neill had died of pneumonia.
"Prior to becoming sick, Sam had valiantly fought and beaten lymphoma through a new treatment called CAR-T therapy," he explained. "In addition to running his award-winning winery, Two Paddocks, Sam had filmed four projects back-to-back during the past year, all of which will be released within the coming months."
Grenz also described the actor as an 'intensely private man who loathed a fuss', adding: "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."