'I will love you forever': Stars of Jurassic Park hail Omagh-born Hollywood star Sam Neill following his death at 78

Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, and former child stars Joseph Mazzello and Ariana Clarice Richards have all paid tribute to Neill, who starred as Dr Alan Grant, the lead character in their 1993 blockbuster.

Also adding his voice was director Steven Spielberg.

Dern, who played Dr Ellie Sattler in the movie, wrote: “Sam was my beloved lifetime friend…

"He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness, and love, always with the driest of wit.

"He was a true and noble gentleman, wrapped up in my dream leading man.

"I will love you forever, Dr Alan Grant.”

Jeff Goldblum, who played Dr Ian Malcolm, said: “The next great adventure begins. Love, always and forever.”

Spielberg also said in a statement that he “adored” making the movies with Neill.

“Along with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, we will always have our Jurassic family, and Sam will never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world,” he said.

Meanwhile Mazzello who had played 10-year-old Tim Murphy in Jurassic Park, called Sam Neill’s death a “gut punch”.

"I had been following his cancer diagnosis and his recovery and was so happy and thankful when I found out he was cancer-free, so this just comes I think as an extra gut punch, because I thought he was through it – but that is life, isn’t it?”

Mazzello then shared an anecdote about how he shared a post a few months ago about going to a premiere for a movie and Neill commented: “All the best Joey.”

Holding back tears, he added: “I didn’t even realise he was following me. I didn’t know that even thought about me any more.

"But he was rooting for me. He was still rooting for me 33 years later. That was so special to me to know that.”

The actor then reflected on how Jurassic Park was a “defining moment” in his life, then joking: “It’s not easy working with kids and Sam only pretended he hated us.

"He was actually an amazing scene partner, and it doesn’t feel like that long ago that we were just ad-libbing together and climbing down trees and up fences.

“I’m so thankful for him. I’m so thankful that he was so great in that movie, because he made us great too.”

Ariana Clarice Richards, who played 12-year-old Lex Murphy in the original film, wrote: “Sam – you were more than just a lovely actor to work with – refined, thoughtful, a skill second to none – you were a mentor, protector, and above all, friend.

"Thank you for making our scenes together feel so real. I will be forever grateful to have been on this journey with you.”

Announcing Neill’s death in a statement, his family had shared that he died “surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life”.

“The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer-free,” they added.

Neill announced in April 2026 that he was cancer-free after treatment, three years after revealing he was battling a “ferocious” and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Neill, whose full name was Nigel John Dermot Neill, lived the first seven years of his life in Omagh, before moving with his English mother and New Zealand father to New Zealand.

One of his last major roles was playing an Ulsterman: RIC officer Chester Campbell in BBC hit show Peaky Blinders.