Nicole Kidman, Laura Tingle, Anthony Albanese and more pay tribute to beloved NZ actor Sam Neill

Hearts are breaking around the world at the death of beloved New Zealand actor Sam Neill.

The 78-year-old amassed millions of fans during a career that spanned six decades, and over that period won the adoration and respect of many high-profile people in the entertainment industry, not just in New Zealand and Australia but also in Hollywood and the UK.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, remembered Neill as a “thoughtful, curious” friend, one she was “profoundly sad” of losing.

Ardern was fortunate enough to spend time with Neill during one of his final public appearances at the ARIA Hall of Fame Awards in June. Neill described Ardern as one of his “heroes”.

“It was just a few weeks ago that I had the profound joy of sitting with Sam Neill, talking about life, politics, and home,” Arden penned on her personal Instagram.

“He was such a thoughtful, curious, and decent person. Someone who was principled, unafraid of speaking his mind, and willing to take up a fight when he saw injustice. He was also an artist, and anyone who watched him perform knew he was someone special.

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“We’ve lost another incredible kiwi, and I feel profoundly sad. All my aroha to his whanau and friends. And to you, Sam, you have our gratitude and admiration. Rest easy. Moe mai rā 💔.”

Kate Ceberano, who was too at that special night, recalled her fondest memories of the NZ star.

“I sang with you in Molokai whilst you played your ukulele. Your gentle heart and radiant smile made me feel seen and loved,” she captioned a photo of the pair from the night on June 12.

“You will always be one of the special souls it has been such a pleasure to know you . Aloha ’oe til we meet again dear Sam.”

Aussie actor Hugh Jackman described Neill as his own personal hero as he shared one of his favourite memories of the star.

“Sam was a hero of mine,” Jackman wrote. “To meet him and drink wine together in New Zealand was a moment I will never forget.

“We have lost an incredible actor and man. Love to his family and friends.”

The touching message was accompanied by a 2024 video of Neill with one of his pet ducks.

Nine’s entertainment editor Richard Wilkins remembered his friend as “so generous, so loving, so supportive”.

“I actually still can’t believe that he’s gone because he was the embodiment of just the bloke next door,” Wilkins said.

“As a Kiwi, he had that great, sort of workmanlike attitude to his craft. And there were no airs and graces with Sam. It was just business as usual: ‘How you going, mate? What are you up to? Oh yeah, great. Let’s have a go and have a beer.’”

Wilkins, a fellow Kiwi who has lived in Australia for decades, said he related to Neill’s journey across the Tasman.

“To many of us Kiwis who came to Australia to have a crack, he was the embodiment of the way it should be done,” Wilkins said.

“Sam was such a class act. He never claimed to be the best actor in the world, but he got lucky with a couple of big roles and he just handled it all in his stride. You’d bump into him any place, anywhere, and you’d forget that he’d been in some of the biggest movies of all time.”

He recalled telling Neill his daughter was getting married in Queenstown, prompting the actor to tell him “don’t worry about the wine”.

Neill, who owned Two Paddocks winery in Central Otago, then sent a few dozen bottles for the festivities.

“He was just so generous, so loving, so supportive,” Wilkins said, adding you could ring Neill at any time and he would be there.

“He was such a large spirit in all of our lives, such a beautiful, generous, intelligent, funny, talented man, and we’re all the richer for having him in our lives and all the poorer from losing him in the last 24 hours.”

Australian rock icon Jimmy Barnes shared how Neill sat with him as he recovered in hospital and the rock star sat with his “dear friend” when he needed him.

“I can’t believe we will no longer be eating great food together and sharing the odd glass of wine down at his winery, while laughing, singing and solving the problems of the world together,” he said. 

“Sam was a big part of our lives. He was family. He lifted our spirits when he walked in the room.

“Sam was everything he appeared to be on the screen. Caring, funny, intelligent, charming, honest, talented, the list could go on.”

ABC global affairs editor Laura Tingle shared an almost wordless but deeply moving tribute to her former partner on Instagram.

“Sweet Dreams darling Sam,” she wrote, alongside a photo and video montage accompanied by John Hiatt’s Long Time Comin’.

The beautiful tribute into the intensely private pair’s life together included a range of smiling selfies, cute moments with animals on the farm and while travelling.

There was even a brief clip of the pair singing John Prine’s In Spite of Ourselves and Neill having a singalong with Barnes.

The couple split in 2021 after three years together and didn’t speak much publicly about the relationship, but Neill reportedly once quipped: “My guess is that I’m in it for the politics; she’s in it for the wine.”

Australian superstar Nicole Kidman, who starred opposite Neill in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm, credited him with taking her under his wing when she was just 18.

“Sam was one of the greats … a joy to be around,” she said, in a statement. 

“He was charming, kind, funny and intelligent. He will be greatly missed and my heart goes out to his family.”

Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg thanked the people who helped him cast Neill in blockbuster smash Jurassic Park, which launched the Kiwi’s career to another level.

“It was a stretch for him to play a character who acted as though children were messy and smelly because this was the opposite of the loving father he was to his children,” Spielberg said.

“I adored making all the Jurassic movies with him.

“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.”

Goldblum himself shared a moving carousel of images of the iconic acting trio, offering a short but deeply poignant tribute to his late co-star.

“The next great adventure begins. Love, always and forever. 🦕💕,” Goldblum wrote.

Dern herself paid tribute to her “beloved lifetime friend”.

“He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness and love always with the driest of wit,” she told Variety. 

“He was a true and noble gentleman, wrapped up in my dream leading man. I will love you forever, Dr Alan Grant.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was one of the first to pay tribute to the actor.

“Sam Neill starred in so many beloved Australian stories and he earned a special place in Australian hearts,” he wrote, on X.

“Wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic, Sam fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance. He will be much mourned and long remembered. May he rest in peace.”

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Neill was “one of the greats”.

“He started out when there was barely a film industry in this country to speak of. For more than fifty years he took New Zealand stories to the world and his talents helped make our film industry into what it is today – one of our greatest cultural exports,” Luxon said.

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“His work will be watched and loved long after all of us. Our thoughts are with his family and friends tonight. Rest in Peace.”

Actress Magda Szubanski posted a tearful tribute, saying, “I’m shocked and devastated and ... just shocked”.

“When I spoke to him not long ago he was cancer free and really happy and excited about life, so this is devastating,” she said.

“He was just a one-off; such a talented, classy, beautiful, wry and warm human being. Really lovely man.

“I’m just ... very sad for all who loved him. God bless you Sam, I’ll miss you very much.”

Australian actress Rebecca Gibney played Neill’s ex-wife in the 2009 film In Her Skin and shared a carousel of photos and videos of Neill.

“Dear Sam, you were funny and kind and humble (and kind) and smart and the epitome of a gentleman … And so kind. You were Zac’s idol but you made him feel like an equal.

“I’ll never forget you pulling me aside on set one day and telling me that I’d done a good job. (You had stayed back to watch a difficult scene I had to do alone) I was SO thrilled. (you were also my idol but I never told you - Sleeping Dogs was the first time I laid eyes on you as a teenager and like everyone else - I was smitten).

“But you always underplayed your genius.”

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Australian acting royalty Toni Collette called Neill a hero, legend, sweetheart and great friend.

“You are already missed so very much. Continue in peace wherever you are,” she said.

Fellow Australian actor Rachel Griffith shared a photo of Neill on Instagram.

“Rest in peace Sam - for the characters, chuckles and good company, thank you. Love to all who loved you - you will be missed,” she said.

Fellow Kiwi actor Karl Urban, who starred in The Boys, described Neill as “truly brilliant”.

“An inspiration for many who followed in his trailblazing footsteps.

“A beautiful man, a national treasure who gave so much to New Zealand and to the world.

“God speed Sam.”

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Home and Away actress Lynne McGranger said: “This is very sad news indeed. He was a very fine actor and seemed to be a lovely human being. Fly high Mr Neil.”

Getaway host Catriona Rowntree said: “So incredibly sad, Sam has brought so much joy, laughter, knee weakness, to so many of us. Truly adored and a true loss to us all.”

The tributes weren’t limited to actors, with powerful film bodies and projects Neill worked on also paying tribute.

The British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) said it was “saddened” to hear of the actor’s death and noted his work in both Jane Campion’s The Piano and Jurassic Park.

The “devastated” creators of Peaky Blinders, the hit gangster drama, described Neill’s portrayal of corrupt cop Chester Campbell as “one for the ages”.

“A villain who is despicable, petty, manipulative, but also charismatic, vulnerable, funny, and supremely entertaining to watch,” the show’s social media accounts said, as a tribute.

“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.”

Oscar-winning Peaky Blinders co-star Cillian Murphy described him as “one of the kindest, funniest and gentlest people, and one of the finest actors”.

“Like everyone who knew and worked with Sam, I admired him and adored him in equal measure,” he said.