Jurassic Park star Sam Neill passes away

Sam Neill, the New Zealand-born actor best known for his iconic role as Dr Alan Grant in the 'Jurassic Park' franchise, has passed away. He was 78.

Neill died on Monday while undergoing treatment at Sydney's St Vincent's Private Hospital. His family confirmed the news in a statement, describing his death as "sudden and unexpected."

Born in Northern Ireland and raised in New Zealand, Sam Neill began his acting career in the 1970s. He gained worldwide fame with the 1993 blockbuster 'Jurassic Park' and reprised the role in subsequent sequels. Among his other notable works are 'The Hunt for Red October', 'The Piano', 'Jurassic Park III' and the series 'Peaky Blinders'.

In 2023, Neill revealed in his autobiography that he had been diagnosed with stage-three non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He later announced that he was cancer-free following gene therapy treatment. His family said he had been cancer-free at the time of his death.

In addition to his distinguished acting career, Neill also owned a vineyard in Central Otago, New Zealand.