Multiple outlets report that New Zealand actor Sam Neill was unwell with pneumonia shortly before he died. Brisbane Times, The Age, and the Sydney Morning Herald cite a New Zealand actor friend who says Neill had been sick with the lung infection recently. The reports add that Neill dies unexpectedly on Monday in Sydney.
New Zealand Herald similarly says Neill had pneumonia before his death and attributes the claim to a co-star. It also includes additional context, stating that Neill had recovered from cancer before becoming unwell, suggesting the pneumonia occurred after a period of cancer recovery.
Free Malaysia Today also reports that co-star Rima Te Wiata said Neill had battled pneumonia, but it does not provide further medical details. Across the coverage, sources agree on the pneumonia claim and the timing of Neill’s illness relative to his death, while specific information about severity, treatment, and other contributing factors is not disclosed in these reports.
