Laura Dern honors 'Jurassic Park' co-star Sam Neill in moving tribute: 'My beloved lifetime friend'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Actress Laura Dern is remembering her late 'Jurassic Park' costar and longtime friend, Sam Neill, who portrayed paleontologist Dr Alan Grant in the iconic sci-fi franchise, following his death at the age of 78.
Neill died on Monday, July 13, in Sydney, as confirmed in a statement shared on Instagram. His passing sparked an outpouring of tributes from friends and longtime collaborators, who celebrated his life, legacy and enduring friendships.
Laura Dern remembers Sam Neill as a lifelong friend
Neill’s family confirmed his death with a heartfelt statement, writing, “Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life.” Among the first to pay tribute was Dern, who portrayed paleobotanist Dr Ellie Sattler, Dr Alan Grant’s colleague and love interest, throughout the Jurassic Park franchise.
In a statement shared on Instagram, Dern reflected on the close bond they shared over the years. “Sam was my beloved lifetime friend… He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness and love always with the driest of wit,” she wrote.
She further added, “He was a true and noble gentleman, wrapped up in my dream leading man. I will love you forever, Dr Alan Grant.”
The franchise director Steven Spielberg, also shared an emotional remembrance on Instagram, recalling how Neill first came to his attention through earlier performances.
“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,” he wrote.
The filmmaker also reflected on Neill’s personality off-screen, saying it was “a stretch” for the actor to portray someone who behaved as though children were “messy and smelly” because he was, in reality, “the loving father” to his own children.
Sam Neill's close bond with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum
Jeff Goldblum also honored his longtime friend with a brief Instagram tribute, writing, “The next great adventure begins. Love, always and forever.” Neill remained close with many of his Jurassic Park castmates long after the films wrapped.
Earlier this year, he reunited with Dern and Goldblum for Comcast’s Xfinity Super Bowl commercial, recreating the chemistry that made the franchise so beloved. In the commercial, Goldblum plays the opening notes of John Williams’ score from the original 1993 film as Dern and Neill listen.
“Jeff, that’s so cool. Did you just make that up?” Neill asks, prompting Dern to reply, “No, Sam. That’s the score from our movie.” He then jokingly responds, “What movie?” as Goldblum continues playing the famous theme.
The trio’s friendship extended beyond acting. In 2020, while on a day off from filming 'Jurassic World: Dominion,' Neill and Goldblum shared a series of social media videos performing classic songs together, including 'I Remember You,' 'A Fine Romance' and 'I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face.'
Before production on 'Jurassic World: Dominion,' Neill told Yahoo Movies UK that he was looking forward to spending months in quarantine with his “dear friends” during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re all going to be living in the same joint for three or four months, so that’s going to be fun,” he said.
