Sam Neill died of pneumonia at 78 after beating lymphoma
What's new: His agent said the actor had finished four projects in the past year, with more releases still to come.
Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor best known for "Jurassic Park" and "The Piano," died of pneumonia in a Sydney hospital on Monday at age 78, his longtime agent Philip Grenz said after speaking with the family. Grenz said Neill had beaten lymphoma through CAR-T therapy and was cancer-free before he became ill, pushing back on what he described as false media reports. The family had earlier called the death sudden and unexpected. A private memorial will be held later at Neill's farm in New Zealand. Over a screen career spanning more than five decades, Neill amassed more than 150 credits and had filmed four projects in the past year that are due for release in the coming months.