Screen legend Sam Neill has died at 78, leaving behind a staggering property and winery empire.
The Jurassic Park star’s sudden passing came just two months after he announced he was cancer-free following a battle with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
At the time of his death, the New Zealand actor held a vast fortune estimated between $25m and $28m ($US18m to$US20m), built through a diverse career in acting, voice work, and entrepreneurial ventures.
Neill was also a prolific property investor. In 2020, the actor offloaded his home in the wealthy Sydney suburb of Double Bay for an undisclosed price believed to be above $3.6m.
The four-bedroom property, purchased in 1996 for $839,000 with former wife Noriko Watanabe, made headlines as the first home in the eastern suburbs to sell via a pioneering virtual negotiation platform.
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Sam Neill has died at the age 78. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images for AFI
Neill’s main residence was a sprawling estate in Alexandra, a town on the South Island of New Zealand.
It was here that he established a commercial winery business consisting of several premium vineyards throughout the South Island region.
The private country estate also hosted his famous collection of farm animals, which the actor playfully named after well-known Hollywood celebrities in the film industry.
In addition to his South Island holdings, Neill owned a home in Wellington, New Zealand.
Born in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, in 1947, Neill and his family moved to New Zealand in 1954.
His expansive acting career spanned decades, including notable roles as a shady CIA operative in John Carpenter’s Memoirs of an Invisible Man, which earned him a Saturn Award nomination in 1993, and The Hunt for Red October.
Neill also captured television audiences as Inspector Chester Campbell in the BAFTA-winning series Peaky Blinders, appearing in 12 episodes between 2013 and 2014, and recently appeared in the miniseries Apples Never Fall, Untamed and The Twelve.
Neill and Laura Dern in Jurassic Park.
The acclaimed star was surrounded by family in Sydney when he passed away.
“It is with immense sadness that the whānau [family] of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday, in Sydney, Australia,” his family said on Instagram.
“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life.
“The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.
“They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their incredible care.”
The family statement concluded with a plea for privacy: “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.”
Neill on the set of The Hunt of Red October. Picture: Paramount Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images
Page Six reported his death came just months after he shared details of his five-year medical journey.
“I’ve been living with a particular type of lymphoma for about five years and I was on chemotherapy and the pretty miserable business but it was keeping me alive,” he told 7News in April.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the tributes, stating Neill will be “mourned and long remembered.”
“Sam Neill starred in so many beloved Australian stories and he earned a special place in Australian hearts,” Mr Albanese wrote on X.
“Wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic, Sam fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance.”
Neill is survived by his brother, sister, four children Tim, Elena, Maiko, and Andrew and eight grandchildren.
Parts of this story first appeared in Page Six and was republished with permission.
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