Laura Dern Pays Tribute to Sam Neill: 'I Will Love You Forever, Dr. Alan Grant'
Laura Dern is honoring the memory of her longtime friend and Jurassic Park co-star Sam Neill following his sudden death.
Neill, who brought paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant to life across the franchise, died Monday, July 13, in Sydney. His family confirmed the news of his death on Instagram on July 13, describing his passing with the same grace he carried throughout his life. "Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life," the statement read.
Dern, 59, who played paleobotanist Dr. Ellie Sattler opposite Neill's Grant, didn't hold back when reflecting on their decades-long bond.
Dern Shares an Emotional Tribute to Her Longtime Friend
She shared a deeply personal statement with People, stating, "Sam was my beloved lifetime friend… He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness and love always with the driest of wit." Dern continued, sharing, "He was a true and noble gentleman, wrapped up in my dream leading man. I will love you forever, Dr. Alan Grant."
Steven Spielberg Reflects on Casting Neill in the Role That Made Him a Star
Jurassic Park director Steven Spielberg also shared his own tribute, tracing the roots of Neill's casting back to the filmmakers who first spotted his talent.
"I owe a debt of gratitude to Roger Donaldson, Gilliam Armstrong, Graham Baker and Phillip Noyce for casting Sam Neill in the roles in which he was so brilliant that brought him to my attention and led to his playing Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park," Spielberg said in a statement shared by Amblin Entertainment's Instagram page.
He also touched on how far the role was from who Neill actually was as a father. "Sam was exceptionally collaborative. It was a stretch for him to play a character who acted as though children were messy and smelly because this was the opposite of the loving father he was to his children." Spielberg closed his statement with a promise that Neill's legacy would live on.
"I adored making all the Jurassicmovies with him. Along with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, we will always have our Jurassic family and Sam will never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world."
Neill's family confirmed his death came as a shock, describing it as "sudden and unexpected."
Their full statement read, "Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life. 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. More details will be shared later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss."
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 3:55 PM.