Sam Neill
Known for: Acting
Sir Nigel John Dermot 'Sam' Neill (September 14, 1947 – July 13, 2026) was a New Zealand actor. His career included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an 'international leading man', he is regarded as one of the most versatile actors of his generation. Born in Northern Ireland to an English mother and New Zealand father, Neill moved to Christchurch with his family in 1954. He first achieved recognition with his appearance in the film Sleeping Dogs (1977), which he followed with leading roles in My Brilliant Career (1979), Omen III: The Final Conflict, Possession (both 1981), Evil Angels (1988), Dead Calm (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Piano (1993), and In the Mouth of Madness (1994). He came to international prominence as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park (1993), reprising the role in Jurassic Park III (2001) and Dominion (2022). Outside of film, Neill appeared in numerous television series in guest and recurring roles, including Reilly, Ace of Spies (1983), The Simpsons (1994), The Tudors (2007), Crusoe (2008–2010), Happy Town (2010), Alcatraz (2012), and Rick and Morty (2019). He also starred as the titular character in Merlin (1998) and Merlin's Apprentice (2006), and as Major Chester Campbell in the first two series of Peaky Blinders (2013–2014). He has presented and narrated several documentaries. Neill received the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, the Longford Lyell Award, the New Zealand Film Award, and the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor. He also had three Golden Globe and two Primetime Emmy nominations. He won the Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor at the 2023 Logies. Neill passed away at age 78 on 13 July 2026, in Sydney, Australia. The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that he remained cancer free. Description above from the Wikipedia article Sam Neill, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
Series
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
2019
Series
The Simpsons
Molloy (voice)
1989
Series
Rick and Morty
Monogatron Leader (voice)
2013
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self
2007
Series
Peaky Blinders
C.I. Chester Campbell
2013
Series
Peaky Blinders
Major Chester Campbell
2013
Series
The Sullivans
Ben Dawson
1976
Series
The Tudors
Cardinal Thomas Wolsey
2007
Film '72
Self
1971
Series
Richard & Judy
Self
2001
Series
Invasion
Jim Bell Tyson
2021
Series
Australian Story
Self
1996
Series
The Triangle
2005
Series
The Triangle
Eric Benerall
2005
Film
Thor: Ragnarok
Actor Odin
2017
Film
Thor: Love and Thunder
Actor Odin
2022
Film
Jurassic World Dominion
Alan Grant
2022
Series
Rove
Self
1999
Film
Jurassic Park
Grant
1993
Film
The Hunt for Red October
Capt. 2nd Vasily Borodin
1990
Series
UNTAMED
Paul Souter
2025
Film
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
Allomere (voice)
2010
Film
Escape Plan
Dr. Kyrie
2013
Series
The Movies That Made Us
Self
2019
Film
Event Horizon
Weir
1997
Series
Alcatraz
Emerson Hauser
2012
Film
Possession
Mark
1981
Series
And Then There Were None
General John MacArthur
2015
Series
Flack
Duncan Paulson
2019
Series
Reilly: Ace of Spies
Sidney Reilly
1983
Film
Peter Rabbit
Mr. McGregor / Tommy Brock (voice)
2018
Series
Crusoe
Jeremiah Blackthorn
2008
Series
Merlin
Merlin
1998
Film
Bicentennial Man
Sir
1999
Film
In the Mouth of Madness
John Trent
1995
Film
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
Tommy Brock (voice)
2021
Series
The Story of Film: An Odyssey
Self
2011
Series
The Twelve
Brett Colby
2022
Series
Old School
Ted McCabe
2014
Series
Julia Zemiro's Home Delivery
Self
2013
Film
The Commuter
Captain Hawthorne
2018
Series
Kane & Abel
William Lowell Kane
1985
Film
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Hec
2016
Film
The Vow
Bill Thornton
2012
Series
Apples Never Fall
Stan Delaney
2024
Hallmark Hall of Fame
British Flier
1951
Film
Daybreakers
Charles Bromley
2010
Film
The Piano
Alisdair Stewart
1993
Film
The Horse Whisperer
Robert MacLean
1998
Film
Godzilla x Kong: Supernova
2027
Series
Doctor Zhivago
Victor Ippolitovich Komarovsky
2002
Series
Happy Town
Merritt Grieves
2010
Film
Snow White: A Tale of Terror
Lord Friedrich Hoffman
1997
Film
A Long Way Down
Chris Crichton
2014
Series
The Games
Citytrans World CEO
1998
Film
Dean Spanley
Dean Spanley
2008
Film
The Final Conflict
Damien Thorn
1981
Film
Dead Calm
John Ingram
1989
Series
Amerika
Colonel Andrei Denisov
1987
Series
Harry
DSS Jim Stockton
2013
Film
The Jungle Book
Colonel Geofferey Brydon
1994
Series
In Cold Blood
Agent Alvin Dewey
1996
Series
To the Ends of the Earth
Mr. Prettiman
2005
Film
Scarygirl
Dr. Maybee (voice)
2023
Film
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
David Jenkins
1992
Series
The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant
Governor Arthur Phillip
2005
Series
Anika Moa Unleashed
Self
2018
Series
Merlin's Apprentice
Merlin
2006
Series
House of Hancock
Lang Hancock
2015
Film
The Legend of Zelda
2027
Film
Until the End of the World
Eugene Fitzpatrick
1991
Film
Skin
Abraham Laing
2009
Series
Two Twisted
Mick
2006
Film
Wimbledon
Dennis Bradbury
2004
Film
Sirens
Norman Lindsay
1994
Series
Get Krack!n
Self
2017
Film
The Portable Door
Dennis Tanner
2023
Series
Sally Hemings: An American Scandal
Thomas Jefferson
2000
Film
Assassin Club
Caldwell
2023
Series
Iron Road
Alfred Nichol
2009
Film
Ride Like a Girl
Paddy Payne
2019
Film
The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box
Otto Luger
2013
Series
The Dovekeepers
2015
Series
Ice
Anthony Kavanagh
2011
Film
The Hunter
Jack Mindy
2011
Series
Tutankhamun
Lord Carnarvon
2016
Series
New Zealand: Earth's Mythical Islands
Narrator (voice)
2016
Film
Evil Angels
Michael Chamberlain
1988
Film
The Fox
The Magpie (voice)
2026
Film
The Pixar Story
Alan Grant (archive footage)
2007
Series
The Assembly
Self
2024
Film
United Passions
Joao Havelange
2014
The Governor
Colonial Bachelor
1977
Series
The Real Hunt for Red October
Self
2021
Film
Bring Him to Me
Frank
2023
Series
The Pacific: In The Wake of Captain Cook
Self - Host
2018
Film
Daisy Quokka: World's Scariest Animal
Frankie Scales (voice)
2021
Series
Space
Himself
2001
Film
Blackbird
Tom
2019
Series
Strong Medicine
Vince Lord
1986
Series
Jessica
2004
Film
Restoration
King Charles II
1995
Film
Sally Hemings: An American Scandal
Thomas Jefferson
2000
Film
Ivanhoe
Brian de Bois-Guilbert
1982
Film
The Dish
Cliff Buxton - Dish Master
2000
Film
Irresistible
Craig
2006
Film
Angel
Théo
2007
Series
Lucinda Brayford
Tony Duff
1980
Film
Backtrack
Duncan Stewart
2015
Film
Dirty Deeds
Ray
2002
Film
The French Revolution
Marquis de Lafayette
1989
Film
Rams
Colin
2020
Series
Family Pictures
David Eberlin
1993
Film
My Brilliant Career
Harry Beecham
1979
Film
Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke
Self
2025
Film
MindGamers
Kreutz
2015
Film
The Daughter
Walter
2015
Film
Attack Force Z
Sergeant Costello
1982
Film
Enigma
Dimitri Vasilikov
1982
Film
Ice
Anthony Kavanagh
2011
Film
Children of the Revolution
David 'Dave' Hoyle, aka Agent 'Nine'
1996
Film
Numero Bruno
Self
2000
Series
Russell Howard Stands Up to the World
Self
2021
Film
Palm Beach
Leo
2019
Film
Little Fish
The Jockey
2005
Film
In Her Skin
Mr. Reid
2009
Film
The Blood of Others
Bergman
1984
Film
The Dragon Pearl
Chris Chase
2011
Film
Return to Jurassic Park
Self
2011
Film
Plenty
Lazar
1985
Film
Iron Road
Alfred Nichol
2009
Series
House of Bond
Roland “Tiny” Rowland
2017
Series
Trial In The Outback: The Lindy Chamberlain Story
Self - Host
2021
Film
The Revengers' Comedies
Henry Bell
1998
Film
Forgotten Silver
Self
1997
The Last Resort
Gerard
2027
Film
The Making of 'Jurassic Park'
Self / Alan Grant
1995
Film
One Against the Wind
Major James Leggatt, The Guards
1991
Film
Architect Athfield
Narrator
1977
Film
Tommy's Honour
Alexander Boothby
2017
Film
Sleeping Dogs
Smith
1978
Film
Sea Lions: Life By a Whisker
Narrator (voice)
2020
Film
Hostage
John Rennie
1992
Film
Sweet Country
Fred Smith
2018
Film
Under the Mountain
Mr. Jones
2009
Film
Jurassic Greatest Moments: Jurassic Park to Jurassic World
Self
2022
Film
Yes
Anthony
2005
Film
From a Far Country
Marian
1981
Film
Molokai: The Story of Father Damien
Prime Minister Gibson
1999
Film
Gallipoli
Narrator
2005
Film
David Stratton: A Cinematic Life
Self
2017
Film
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
Self
1994
Film
Fever
Elliot
1991
Film
The Making Of Jurassic Park III
Self
2001
Film
Verity Lambert: Drama Queen
Narrator
2008
Film
Death in Brunswick
Carl
1991
Film
The Magic Pudding
Sam Sawnoff (voice)
2000
Film
Question of Faith
Oscar Ogg
1988
Film
Submerged
Lt. Cmdr. Charles B. 'Swede' Momsen
2001
Film
Jessica
Richard Runche
2004
Film
Victory
Mr. Jones
1996
Mystery Ride
Duncan Connelly
The Making of Sleeping Dogs
Self
2004
Series
Lindy Chamberlain: The True Story
Self - Narrator
2020
Film
Perfect Strangers
Man
2003
Film
Framed
Eddie Meyers
2002
Film
The Rainbow Warrior
Chief Inspector Alan Galbraith
1997
Film
My Mother Frank
Professor Mortlock
2000
Film
Country Life
Dr. Max Askey
1994
Film
New Zealand: Earth's Mythical Islands
Narrator (voice)
2016
Film
The Good Wife
Neville Gifford
1987
Film
Cinema of Unease: A Personal Journey by Sam Neill
Narrator / Host
1995
Film
The Zookeeper
Ludovic
2001
Film
Just Out Of Reach
Mike
1979
Film
The Making of 'Event Horizon'
Self
2006
Film
Inside The Living Daylights
Self (archival footage)
2000
Film
The Man in the Hat
Reader of Correspondence
2009
Film
For Love Alone
James Quick
1986
Film
Voice Activated
Audiobook Narrator (voice)
2022
Film
Colin McCahon: I Am
Narrator
2004
Film
The City of No
The neighbour
1971
Film
Odyssey sur les traces de Sam Neill
God
2015
Film
Working with a Master: John Carpenter
Self
2006
Film
Shadow of China
TV Reporter
1990
Film
T. REX
Self - Narrator (voice)
2024
Film
SuperCroc
narrator
2001
Film
The Making of Daybreakers
Self
2010
Film
The Show Must Go On
Self
2019
Film
Stiff
Lionel Merricks
2004
Voyage of the Nautilus
Hubert Wilkins
2006
Film
Ashes
Priest
1975
Film
Four Shorts on Architecture
Narrator (voice)
1975
Film
The Ordained
Governor Michael Thomas Riley
2013
Film
River Deep, Mountain High: James Nesbitt in New Zealand
Self
2013
Film
Strong Medicine
Vince Lord
1986
Film
Lindy Chamberlain: The True Story
Narrator (voice)
2020
Film
Robbery Under Arms
Capt. Starlight
1985
Film
Inside 'The Piano'
Self
1993
Film
Why Anzac with Sam Neill
Self
2015
Film
The Country Girls
Mr. Gentleman
1983
Film
Jurassic Park III
Dr. Alan Grant
2001
Film
New Zild - The Story of New Zealand English
Self
2005
Film
Hunt's Duffer
Bradley
1973
Film
The Journalist
Rex
1979
Film
Cowboys of Culture
Self
1990
Film
Split Enz: Spellbound
Narrator
1993
Film
Landfall
Eric
1975
Film
The Water Cycle
Hydro enthusiast
1972
Film
Surf Sail
Narrator (voice)
1978
Film
The Odyssey (Two Paddocks)
Himself
2015