Sam Neill, the iconic actor known for his roles in "Jurassic Park," "The Hunt for Red October," and "The Piano," has died at the age of 78.
His family announced his passing on Monday in a statement posted to Instagram.
Neill died in a hospital in Sydney, Australia. His family described his death as "sudden and unexpected."
The New Zealand-born star had recently recovered from a rare and aggressive blood cancer. In April, he revealed he was cancer-free.
Neill began his film career in 1977 with roles in "Sleeping Dogs," "My Brilliant Career," "The Omen," and "The Final Conflict."
In 1989, he starred opposite Nicole Kidman in "Dead Calm."
In 1990, he played Soviet Captain Vasily Borodin in "The Hunt for Red October."
His biggest year came in 1993, when he portrayed Dr. Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park" and Alisdair Stewart in Jane Campion's "The Piano."
Throughout the 1990s, Neill starred in "In the Mouth of Madness," "Event Horizon," "The Horse Whisperer," and "Bicentennial Man."
He later reprised his role as Dr. Grant in "Jurassic World III" and "Jurassic World Dominion."
On television, Neill appeared in "Reilly: Ace of Spies," "The Tudors," "Peaky Blinders," and "Apples Never Fall."
