Sam Neill's former costar Rima Te Wiata sheds light on what he says happened in the late actor's final days before his shocking death at the age of 78.
Te Wiata, who replaced Neill in 2016 Hunt for the Wilderpeoplebroke his silence after the actor's death on Monday, July 13, saying he was “really upset” that the actor was in remission – publicly and successfully battling cancer – at the time of his death.
“I'm sure as he said in the press, 'He is not afraid of death, but he will be angry,'” Te Wiata, 63, told the newspaper. NZ Herald Monday, referring to one of Neill's most iconic quotes about life.
He continued, “So I think, yeah, you're going to be like, 'Oh, for goodness sake! (Pneumonia is caused by a bacterial, viral or fungal infection in the lungs that “inflames the air sacs,” causing coughing, fever, chills and difficulty breathing, according to the Mayo Clinic.)
“He's on his big journey now,” Te Wiata added, declining to give any more information about Neill's medical condition.
Us Weekly reached out to Neill's attorney for comment.
News broke on Monday that Neill had died in Sydney, Australia. I Jurassic Park The star's family confirmed his death in a public statement, calling the loss “sudden and unexpected.”
Neill's loved ones noted that they were “blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free” before his death and revealed that he was “surrounded” by his family and “passed with dignity.”
'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' cast: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House and Oscar Kightley.
Fiona Goodall/Getty ImagesThree months before his death, Neill declared himself cancer-free after battling stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma for nearly five years.
After going public with his diagnosis in 2023, Neill announced in an October interview that year that he was “not remotely afraid” of death. The actor decided to enroll in an Australian trial to fight a rare blood cancer, which he confirmed in April that it worked.
“I've been living with lymphoma for five years and I've had chemotherapy and it's been a painful business, but it's kept me alive,” Neill said in an interview with The Australian. 7 News.
Celebrities are mourning the loss of Jurassic Park and Peaky Blinders star Sam Neill. Neill's family announced on Monday, July 13, that he had died suddenly at the age of 78. They promised that “more details will be shared later,” asking for privacy as they assess the loss. “It is with great sadness that Sam Neill's whānau […]
After the CAR-T cell treatment, Neill said, “I just got the incision now and there is no cancer in my body, which is unusual.”
I The Peaky Blinders alum was an advocate for expanded access to the treatment until his death, insisting that the option be available to patients across Australia as it genetically modifies blood cells to better prevent cancer.
Despite beating cancer, Neill's ex-girlfriend Laura Tingle revealed on Tuesday, July 14, that his body was buried by wire.
Sam Neill.
Ross Land/Getty Images“The bottom line is that he's been battling various types of cancer for at least the last five years,” Tingle, 65, said during an appearance on ABC Radio Sydney. Sydney Mornings system. “That takes a toll on anyone's body. He had a lot of chemo and a lot of immunotherapy. Thankfully, it finally cleared the blood cancer he had. But it left him with a very compromised immune system, and I think his poor old body got a little tired.”
He said, “He has been very ill for the past few weeks, and everyone who loved him was willing to go on with him as far as possible, but I think it was too much for him to recover from sometimes.”
The cause of Neill's death has not been made public, but his passing has been felt by family, friends and fans alike, including Te Wiata.
On Tuesday he described Neill as “a very stable, peaceful man. Like a very good force to be around. Very easy going. He was like a lovely gardener. Someone who did a vegetable garden. There was a certain kind of good manners.”
Laura Dernwho played alongside Neill in the Jurassic Park Franchise, once again paid tribute to the late star. (Dern played Ellie Sattler, and Neill played Dr. Alan Grant.)
“Sam was my best friend of all time,” Dern, 59, said in a statement shared with him. Us On Monday. “He showed me the depth of loyalty, protection and love all the while with a very dry mind.”
He added, “He was a true and honorable man, embodied in my dream leading man. I will love you forever, Dr. Alan Grant.”
