HEALTHSam Neill Gives Miraculous Cancer Update After Failed Chemo Treatments Fueled Death Fears: 'It Looked Like I Was on the Way Out'
The 'Jurassic Park' alum shared his blood cancer diagnosis in 2023.
April 28 2026, Published 6:10 p.m. ET
Sam Neill is feeling great after recently learning he's cancer-free, following his revelation about his blood cancer battle.
In an interview with Australian network 7News published on Sunday, April 26, the Jurassic Park star, 78, shared, "I’ve been living with a particular type of lymphoma for about five years, and I was on chemotherapy and the pretty miserable business, but it was keeping me alive."
But then the treatment stopped working, Neill explained, admitting that he "was at a loss" as he faced his own mortality.
'There Is No Cancer in My Body'
Sam Neill said he is now cancer-free.
"It looked like I was on the way out, which wasn’t ideal obviously," he told the outlet.
But after undergoing an innovative treatment that genetically modifies blood cells, the actor said he "had a scan just now and there is no cancer in [his] body."
"That’s an extraordinary thing," Neill declared. "I’m very, very excited that this can happen."
"It’s time I did another movie," he added.
He underwent CAR T-cell therapy.
Neill is now advocating for the cutting-edge treatment, CAR T-cell therapy, to become available for cancer patients in Australia. Currently, it's only being used in clinical trials.
The Peaky Blinders actor opened up about his cancer battle in 2023 after being diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma the year before.
While promoting his new memoir at the time, Neill shared the news by joking that he was "possibly dying" and may need to "speed" up the release of his book.
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
'I'm Not Afraid to Die'
The actor said it 'would annoy' him to die.
He also revealed he would have to undergo chemotherapy for the rest of his life.
"I’m not afraid to die, but it would annoy me," Neill said in the interview. "Because I’d really like another decade or two, you know?"
He explained, "We’ve built all these lovely terraces, we’ve got these olive trees and cypresses. I want to be around to see it all mature. And I’ve got my lovely little grandchildren. I want to see them get big. But as for the dying? I couldn’t care less."
The Actor That Visited Sam Neill in the Hospital 'Everyday'
Sam Neill was visited by famous Australian actor Bryan Brown while undergoing cancer treatment.
Neill later shared in another interview in 2024 that actor Bryan Brown was there for him during his treatment.
"I had a spell in hospital and Bryan came in every day. Every day. I thought: 'That's a real friend,'" the Jurassic Park alum said. "He didn't have anything to say, but he came in and kept me company."
