A post shared on social media by his family said Neill's death in Sydney "was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free." In April, Neill announced he was cancer free after a public battle with blood cancer.
Described by critics as "versatile" and "reliably excellent", Neill landed starring roles across many genres. He also played countless anguished husbands, including opposite Holly Hunter in the Oscar-winning "The Piano" and opposite Meryl Streep in "Evil Angels", also known as "A Cry in the Dark".
Neill was nominated for three Golden Globe awards and two Primetime Emmys. He won three Australian television awards including one in 2025 for The Twelve.
