Sam Neill is said to have been suffering from pneumonia before his tragic death.
“It’s actually really disgusting,” the late actor’s “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” co-star Rima Te Wiata told the New Zealand Herald on Monday.
“I think he’ll say, ‘For God’s sake, I beat cancer. And, lo and behold, now I’ve got pneumonia. What’s next?'” added the New Zealand actress, 63.
“He’s on a big journey right now.”
Te Wiata did not provide further details about Neil’s alleged illness.
Page Six reached out to Neal’s representatives for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
On Monday, the “Jurassic Park” star’s loved ones announced that he had passed away. He was 78 years old.
“Sam passed away surrounded by his family and with the dignity that characterized his life,” his family said in a statement. “Although the death was sudden and unexpected, the fact that Sam did not have cancer was a blessing.”
Neil’s relatives said: “We are deeply grateful 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.”
On Tuesday, former “Peaky Blinders” alumna Laura Tingle said the actor was “pretty unwell” before his death.
“The bottom line is that he had been battling various forms of cancer intensively for at least the last five years,” the 65-year-old journalist told “Sydney Mornings.”
“It takes a huge toll on anyone’s body. He was undergoing high doses of chemotherapy and immunotherapy,” she added.
“Thankfully, his blood cancer was finally cured, but it left his immune system pretty weak. I think his poor old body was a little worn out.”
Tingle, who dated Neil from 2018 to 2021, said he had been “unwell for the past few weeks”.
“Everyone who loved him, from near and far, gave him good wishes, but I think it was a little too much for him to get back on his feet again,” she said.
Neil announced in April that he was cancer-free after battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer called angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.
