Laura Dern has hailed Sam Neill as her “beloved” friend.
The actress, 59, broke her silence on her grief over Sam’s death after a raft of celebrities posted tributes to the late star, whose death aged 78 was announced on Monday (13.07.26.)
Laura, who starred with Sam in the Jurassic Park franchise, in which he played Dr. Alan Grant. remembered Sam after his family confirmed he had died following what they described as a “sudden and unexpected” death following his news he was free of cancer.
In a statement shared with Page Six, Laura said: “Sam was my beloved lifetime friend.”
She added: “He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness and love always with the driest of wit.”
Laura continued Sam was “a true and noble gentleman” who was “wrapped up in my dream leading man.”
She concluded: “I will love you forever, Dr. Alan Grant.”
The pair’s enduring friendship extended well beyond the screen.
In 2022, while promoting Jurassic World Dominion, Laura described reuniting with Sam as a “dream come true” after the original cast returned alongside Jeff Goldblum for the latest instalment of the dinosaur saga.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the time, Laura said: “(Sam is) just an extraordinary gentleman and the minute I walked (along) that dig site into the tent and there was Dr. Alan Grant, still waiting for me to show up, I was very moved. And it was very special.”
During the same promotional campaign, Laura and Sam also reflected on the age difference between their characters when the original Jurassic Park was filmed.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Sam said: “I am 20 years older than Laura! Which at the time was a completely appropriate age difference for a leading man and lady.”
He explained his perspective later changed after seeing himself featured in a magazine article titled “Old Geezers and Gals”.
Laura said “it felt completely appropriate to fall in love” with Sam at the time, but added “cultural awareness about the patriarchy” had since changed how she viewed the relationship between her Jurassic Park character Dr. Ellie Sattler and his Dr. Alan Grant.
Laura and Sam became synonymous with Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park franchise after portraying the pair of palaeontologists in the landmark 1993 blockbuster.
They later reunited for Jurassic Park III in 2001 and Jurassic World Dominion in 2022, with their on-screen chemistry becoming one of the defining elements of the series.
Laura’s tribute comes as fans across the world remember Sam’s decades-long career, which also included acclaimed performances in The Piano, The Hunt for Red October, Peaky Blinders and The Tudors.
Laura, meanwhile, continues to be recognised for films including Marriage Story, Wild and Blue Velvet, as well as the HBO drama Big Little Lies.
Sam’s family confirmed his death in a statement shared on Instagram.
It read: “Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life.”
The news came two months after Sam revealed he was cancer-free following treatment for a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
