Actor Sam Neill died Monday in Sydney at the age of 78. He was best known for his role as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park and as Inspector Chester Campbell in Peaky Blinders.
Neill's family announced the news in a statement on his Instagram account. They said he passed surrounded by family and with the dignity that characterised his life. The statement noted that he remained cancer free after a 2023 diagnosis of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.
Series creator Steven Knight revealed that Neill's exit from Peaky Blinders after two seasons was a creative choice. Knight told the Express that he phoned Neill to say the character had run its course. Neill replied he did not want to die, but later accepted the decision and said it was fantastic.
Tributes poured in from Hollywood. Jurassic World Dominion director Colin Trevorrow called Neill a deeply soulful and beautiful man. The Peaky Blinders Instagram account described his portrayal of Chester Campbell as one for the ages. Other messages came from Richard E. Grant, Toni Collette and Karl Urban.
