NEWSSam Neill Had Pneumonia Before He Died and Was 'Pretty Sick' for 2 Weeks Until His Death, Ex-Girlfriend Reveals
Sam Neill's ex-girlfriend said he was 'pretty sick' before his death on July 13.
July 14 2026, Updated 3:42 a.m. ET
Sam Neill was reportedly suffering from pneumonia for a couple of weeks before his death at the age of 78 on Monday, July 13.
His ex-girlfriend, ABC political journalist Laura Tingle, commented on his shocking death on ABC Radio Sydney, per Daily Mail.
Laura Tingle posted a tribute to Sam Neill on Instagram after news of his death broke.
"He's been pretty sick for the last couple of weeks, and everybody who loved him has been willing him on from near and far, but I think it was just a bit too much to recover from one more time," she said.
The journalist also shared a heartfelt tribute featuring photos and videos from their time together on her Instagram after news of his death broke.
Tingle and Neill dated from 2018 to 2021 after meeting through mutual friends. Their split was reportedly amicable, and they remained friends after going their separate ways, per the outlet.
Sam Neill's ex-girlfriend, Laura Tingle, said his immune system was weak after battling cancer.
Tingle also weighed in on it while speaking to ABC Radio Sydney, saying, "He'd had a lot of chemo and a lot of immunotherapy and, thankfully, it finally cleared him of the blood cancer that he had, but that left him pretty compromised in terms of his immune system."
"His poor old body just sort of got a bit exhausted," the journalist added.
Sam Neill's Cause of Death
- 'Jurassic Park' Star Sam Neill Dead at 78 Nearly 1 Year After Declaring He Was Cancer-Free
- Sam Neill's Tragic Death at 78: Photos Show 'Jurassic Park' Star Smiling in Final Public Appearances Before His Sudden Passing
- Sam Neill Gave Promising Remission Update Months Before His Sudden Death at 78 in Heartbreaking Resurfaced Interview: 'There Is No Cancer in My Body'
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Sam Neill's friend, Rima Te Wiata, said he would be 'annoyed' for catching pneumonia after being cancer-free.
Neill's friend and Hunt For The Wilderpeople costar Rima Te Wiata revealed that the actor might have been frustrated by falling ill again.
"It really sucks, actually. As he said in the press once, he's not scared of death, but he would be annoyed," she told reporter Ryan Bridge in New Zealand on Tuesday, per Daily Mail.
"He would be like, 'Oh, for goodness' sake, I just got over my cancer and now look, now I get pneumonia. What next?' But he's on his big journey now," she added.
Sam Neill's Family Announced His Death Via Instagram on July 13
Sam Neill's family announced his death on Monday, July 13, via Instagram.
On the morning of Monday, July 13, the Jurassic Park star's family announced his death via an Instagram post on his account.
"It is with immense sadness that the whānau (family) of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13 July, in Sydney, Australia. Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life," they wrote in the statement.
Sam Neill's family requested privacy to deal with their grief in a statement.
"The loss was sudden and unexpected, but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer-free. They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent's Private Hospital for their incredible care," the statement continued.
They also stated that they would share more details later. However, for now, they requested privacy while they dealt with their grief.
The legendary actor was previously diagnosed with blood cancer in 2023. He revealed in April this year that after undergoing CAR T-Cell therapy, he was finally cancer-free.
