Sam Neill, best known for his role in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster Jurassic Park, was all smiles as he attended the Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony just weeks before his death at the age of 78.
The actor flashed a smile in a selfie taken with singer Kate Ceberano, who was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association’s 2026 Hall of Fame in June.
Neil, who played Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, also shared a behind-the-scenes photo of fellow Hall of Famers Vika and Linda and former Crocodiles member Jenny Morris.
Morris was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame by former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and Neil said former Paul was her “hero”.
“An amazing night in Sydney. Four women I’ve admired for decades were honored: Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, and Vika and Linda Bull,” he posted on Instagram on June 11.
“Jenny is as inducted as our former New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, another hero.”
The Hall of Fame event was held to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards.
Plans for a standalone Hall of Fame event were finalized in September 2024 ahead of the major milestone.
ARIA CEO Annabelle Hurd said: “This is something we have been considering for some time and a decision made by the board to recognize the incredible contribution that so many other artists have made to Australian music, and we will be announcing further details next year, because being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame is a special moment and an important moment for artists.”
In recent years, ARIA has inducted one or two singers into its Hall of Fame as part of that year’s ARIA Awards ceremony. The 2026 ARIA Awards will be held in November.
There were no ARIA Hall of Fame inductees in 2021 and 2022.
Neil’s family announced Monday that he had passed away. It comes just two months after he announced he was cancer-free after a battle with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare blood cancer.
“It is with great sadness that the whānau (family) of Sam Neill share the news that he passed away in Sydney, Australia on Monday 13th July,” they said on Instagram.
“Sam passed away surrounded by his family and with the dignity that characterized his life.
“Although his death was sudden and unexpected, the fact that Sam did not have cancer was a blessing.
“They would like to express their deep gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their excellent care.
“We will provide more details in due course, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect our privacy as we work through this unfathomable loss.”
Neil, who moved to New Zealand as a child, attended the Sydney Film Festival in June 2026, where the directors said: “He will be fondly remembered by all who experienced his skill and courage as an actor, his contagious larrikin spirit and his passionate support of exciting new voices in film.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Mr Neil would be “mourned and long remembered”.
“Sam Neill has starred in many of Australia’s beloved stories and has earned a special place in the hearts of Australians,” he wrote in X.
“Acerbic, dry, thoughtful and concise, Sam fought his illness with the same dignity, humor and conviction that gave strength to all his performances.
“He will be greatly missed and long remembered. May he rest in peace.”
