Popular New Zealand actor Sam Neill, known for his role as Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, has died.

He was 78.

His family shared the news of his death via his social media handles, confirming that the actor died on Monday in Sydney, Australia.

“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday, July 13, in Sydney, Australia. Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that characterised his whole life.”

“The loss was sudden and unexpected, but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer-free,” a statement by the family said.

Mr Neil’s family thanked St Vincent Private Hospital in Sydney “for their incredible care” through his illness and requested privacy as they navigate “this immeasurable loss”.

Mr Neill was born in Northern Ireland in 1947 and raised in New Zealand, where he developed a passion for acting by performing in small stage productions.

In 1977, he made his film debut in the New Zealand hit Sleeping Dogs, before gaining global recognition starring as Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise, launched by Steven Spielberg in 1993.

He also starred in other notable movies and television series, such as Dead Calm, The Piano, Event Horizon, Bicentennial Man, The Horse Whisperer, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Peaky Blinders, Peter Rabbit, The Tudors, and Merlin.

In March 2023, he was diagnosed with stage three cancer after noticing swollen glands on set. He later announced he was cancer-free in April 2023 after undergoing Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy.