"It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia.
"Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life."
The statement says Neill's death was sudden and unexpected but they were "blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free".
Recently, Neill had been campaigning against a large, open cast gold mine in Central Otago.
Neill was New Zealand's biggest international film star, yet was a modest man who shied from the media spotlight.
He was born in Northern Ireland to a British mother and a New Zealand father stationed there with the British army.
The family moved to New Zealand when he was 8, and it was at school in Christchurch that he first took the name Sam.
He had been baptised Nigel John Dermot Neill, but changed because there were a lot of Nigels at the school.
His interest in acting originated at Christ's College, where he became involved in the school drama society.
He continued to act at Canterbury University, and after graduating with a BA joined a troupe of traveling players who toured the country performing plays for schools.
In 1971 he joined the National Film Unit as a director of documentaries.
He made his acclaimed debut as a film actor in 1977 in the hit Sleeping Dogs and shot to international attention in the Australian film My Brilliant Career.
His other movie credits include the box-office hits Jurassic Park and The Piano, as well as Evil Angels, Plenty, Dead Calm, The Hunt for Red October and Sirens.
He also wrote and presented Cinema of Unease, a history of film in New Zealand.
He received an OBE in 1995 for his achievements in the film industry and, while working mainly overseas, maintained a home near Queenstown.
Neill was made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2022.
He is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.
'Let's embrace what Sam did'
Sir Ian Taylor said it had been an overwhelming shock to learn of Neill's death.
He said Neill had taken the New Zealand's film and wine industries to the world.
"One of the things that came to me almost immediately after the shock of it was, I was just reminded of the Māori saying about the kūaka, the godwit that travels from New Zealand and travels the world looking for opportunities, but always brings them home," Taylor said.
"That was Sam Neill."
Neill had been part of some "incredibly huge" films, but "somehow they all continued to tell a New Zealand story, because Sam was there as a New Zealander", Taylor said.
"I think now's the time to pause and just go, 'actually, let's just embrace what Sam did'.
"Just remind ourselves, we can take to the world and be New Zealanders, all of the time."
Tributes flow for Sir Sam
"Sir Sam Neill was one of the greats," Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a post on X.
"For more than fifty years he took New Zealand stories to the world and his talents helped make our film industry into what it is today - one of our greatest cultural exports.
"Our thoughts are with his family and friends tonight. Rest in Peace."
In a post on X, Winston Peters said Neill was a Kiwi icon through his work in both local and Hollywood films that entertained people around the world over decades.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also said in a post that Neill had earned a special place in Australian hearts.
"Wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic, Sam fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance. He will be much mourned and long remembered.
"May he rest in peace."
