Cillian Murphy has paid an emotional tribute to his Peaky Blinders co-star Sam Neill. The veteran star, 78, passed away on Monday in Sydney, Australia.
What did Cillian Murphy say about Sam Neill?
Sam Neill worked alongside Cillian Murphy in the hit TV series Peaky Blinders. He played Major Chester Campbell (early in the series as Chief Inspector). Remembering the New Zealand actor, Murphy paid tribute to him and said he had long admired him.
In a statement given to Deadline, Murphy said, “Like everyone who knew and worked with Sam, I admired him and adored him in equal measure. He was one of the kindest, funniest and gentlest people, and one of the finest actors. RIP.”
After their time on Peaky Blinders, the two actors remained close friends. In fact, Neill even celebrated Murphy’s first-ever Best Actor victory at the 2024 Oscars.
“I could not be more thrilled, as you see. So well deserved. We had a great catch-up. And a Bloody Mary. Or two. What an actor, what a performance and what a movie,” Neill wrote in an Instagram post after Murphy won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Oppenheimer.
Speaking more of the late actor, Neill began his career in the 1970s before rising to international stardom. Early in his career, he earned critical acclaim for performances in films such as My Brilliant Career and Possession.
However, the breakout hit for Neill was Steven Spielberg’s 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park. In that movie, he played the iconic character of Dr. Alan Grant. Neill reprised his role in subsequent installments, namely Jurassic Park III and Jurassic World Dominion. His other prominent projects include The Hunt for Red October, The Piano, Event Horizon, The Horse Whisperer, and many others.
Neill’s performances earned him numerous honors, including AACTA Awards and New Zealand Film and Television Awards. In 2022, New Zealand honored him with a Knighthood. He was named a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his excellent work in the field of acting.
Originally reported by Mintu Kumar Tomar on ComingSoon.net.
