Sam Neill Remembered After Death at 78 as Ex-Partner Laura Tingle Reflects on Final Days

Actor Sam Neill has died at the age of 78, prompting tributes from family, friends, and colleagues across the film industry.

Australian political journalist Laura Tingle, who dated Neill from 2018 to 2021, said the actor had been "pretty sick" in the weeks before his death. Speaking on Sydney Mornings, she explained that Neill had spent years battling angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, undergoing extensive chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

Although Neill announced in April that he was cancer-free, Tingle said the treatment had severely weakened his immune system. "His body was exhausted," she said, adding that loved ones had hoped he would recover once more.

Tingle also reflected on Neill's passion for acting, saying he was driven by his love of working and felt most at home on a film set. She noted that, even near the end of his life, he still wanted to keep working.

Tributes poured in from longtime collaborators. Director Steven Spielberg praised Neill as a collaborative actor and cherished member of the Jurassic Park family. Laura Dern described him as a loyal friend and "a true and noble gentleman," while Nicole Kidman remembered him as kind, intelligent, and a lifelong friend.

Neill is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren. In a family statement, relatives said he died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, and thanked medical staff for their care while requesting privacy during their time of grief.