“Jurassic Park” star Sam Neill suddenly passed away on July 13, 2026, at 78. According to his family, his loss was “sudden and unexpected.”
Since news of his untimely passing went public, celebrities and fans alike have shared many kind tributes in his honor. While he was publicly known for his lengthy film career, Neill was most passionate about his home country, New Zealand. He loved cultivating his vineyard and enjoying the stunning mountainside.
Just days before Neill passed away, he spoke out against a mining project that would ruin part of the country’s ecosystem.
Sam Neill Tried to Stop a Mining Project Before His Passing
Sam Neill deeply loved and cared for New Zealand. That’s precisely why he was committed to stopping a mining project that would have devastated the country’s natural beauty.
“I’m not against mining. I’m against this mine,” the actor clarifies in an Instagram video, dated just days before his passing. “If this mine goes ahead, and God willing it won’t, everything you see here is under a claim [by the mining company] and there will be mining all around us and that will be the end.”
Journalist Aina J. Khan narrates the video, explaining that the mining company in question wants to mine in New Zealand’s Dunstan Mountains.
“My family have been here for over 150 years,” Sam Neill continues. “I’ve connected to this land like nowhere else on earth. And I’m in love with this place.”
Mฤori activists have also been vocally against the mine, wishing to protect their country’s natural landscape. The mining company is ultimately after gold discovered in the area. They’ve paused plans, but that doesn’t guarantee they won’t move forward with the project later.
“To take on something that would significantly change forever our beautiful area with such little consideration, fast-track it for goodness sake, would be a terrible, terrible mistake,” the “Jurrassic Park” actor adds.
Khan explains that Sam Neill’s vineyard is just kilometers from the proposed mining site. In Mฤori culture, they don’t believe people can be landowners. They’re simply caretakers, and Sam Neill wholeheartedly agreed with the ideology.
“I own land but I’m not a landowner,” Neill shares. “The land is part of me and I’m part of the land. But that comes with a responsibility and you need to leave that land better than you found it.”
Fans React to the Late Actor’s Dedication
After news of Sam Neill’s passing became public, fans flocked to his social media pages to honor his memory. Many discovered the video and commended the actor for his dedication to environmentalism.
“After hearing the news of Samโs passing, Iโve come back to this video thinking that his whฤnau must be so proud that some of his last words were standing up for conservation. An amazing person in every way. Rest in peace Sir Neill โค๏ธ” a fan shared in the comments.
“A great man, working for others almost to the very end. Follow Samโs example and fight for things that are good for all of us and those who will come laterโnot things that only benefit a few right now,” another added.
Rest in peace, Sam Neill.
