Laura Dern is breaking her silence on former Jurassic Park costar Sam Neill’s death with a meaningful tribute.
“Sam was my beloved lifetime friend,” Dern, 59, said in a statement shared with Us Weekly on Monday, July 13. “He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness and love always with the driest of wit.”
She added, “He was a true and noble gentleman, wrapped up in my dream leading man. I will love you forever, Dr. Alan Grant.”
Dern played Ellie Sattler in 1993’s Jurassic Park alongside Neill’s Dr. Alan Grant. The duo reprised their roles for 2001’s Jurassic Park III and 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion.
Neill’s family announced in a statement on Monday that he died at age 78.
“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia,” wrote via his Instagram page, using the Māori word for family. “Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life. The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.”
The statement concluded, “They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their incredible care. More details will be shared later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss.”
Neill revealed in his 2023 memoir that he was diagnosed with stage III angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. He was put on an anti-cancer drug after chemotherapy failed. While he was considered to be in remission, doctors told him that the medication would eventually stop working.
“I know I’ve got it, but I’m not really interested in it,” Neill told Australian Story in October 2023. “It’s out of my control. If you can’t control it, don’t get into it.”
Before his death, the actor became known to a new generation of fans as Chief Inspector Chester Campbell in the first two seasons of Peaky Blinders.
“We are devastated to hear that Sam Neill has died. Sam’s portrayal of Chester Campbell is one for the ages,” the official Peaky Blinders Instagram shared in a statement on Monday. “A villain who is despicable, petty, manipulative, but also charismatic, vulnerable, funny, and supremely entertaining to watch.”
He added, “Sam was one of the key forces that got Peaky Blinders off to a running start, for which we will be forever grateful. Our love and thoughts are with his family.”
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