[Dispatch=Lee Myung-joo] Hollywood actor Sam Neill has passed away. He was 78 years old.

Neill's family announced his death through SNS on the 13th (Korean time). They stated, "Neill passed away in Sydney, Australia on this day."

They added, "He breathed his last surrounded by his beloved family. While his death was sudden, we are grateful that his cancer did not recur."

The specific cause of death has not been disclosed. The family requested, "Please respect our privacy as we overcome immeasurable grief."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute, saying, "He played leading roles in numerous Australian-related stories during his lifetime and was a special presence to Australians."

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also said, "Neill's works will be cherished for a long time," and expressed condolences to his family and friends.

Neill was born in Northern Ireland in 1947. He later moved to New Zealand and spent his childhood there. He earned a bachelor's degree from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.

He was active in dramas and films for the past 45 years. Through films such as "Death on the Nile" (1989), "The Hunt for Red October" (1990), and "The Piano" (1993), he portrayed characters of all kinds.

In particular, he became known worldwide after appearing in director Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park" (1993). He played the role of paleontologist Dr. Allen Grant.

He also publicly disclosed his battle with blood cancer. In 2022, he was diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. He recently achieved complete remission through clinical trials.

<Photo source=Sam Neill SNS capture, 'Jurassic Park' still>