Entertainment
Iconic Jurassic Park Actor Sam Neill Dead at 79
By Jennifer Asencio
| Published
It is another sad day for those who follow the entertainment industry: prolific and beloved actor Sam Neill died on July 13th, 2026. He was 79.
The actor was born in 1946 in Omagh, Country Tyrone, Northern Ireland. His mother is English, and his father is from New Zealand and was in the military in that country; this tie would bring Neill fame in the Land of the Kiwi as his acting career took off. He graduated from New Zealand’s Victoria University of Wellington in 1970 with a degree in English Literature, after also studying at the University of Canterbury in the UK.
Sam Neill’s Life And Legacy
Neill has been in many iconic roles, with perhaps the most famous being Alan Grant of the Jurassic Park franchise. Alan Grant only appeared in three of the movies, but his starring role in the first film was so legendary that, in the wake of his passing, a popular social media meme has asked users to name their favorite role of his besides Jurassic Park. Alan Grant has also been spoofed in other movies, TV shows, and commercials, including one that starred Neill himself.
But Neill has had a lot of other very famous roles that shouldn’t be overshadowed by the Jurassic Park franchise. He got his start in New Zealand and Australia, starring on television and in movies. Then, 1989’s Dead Calm, co-starring Australian star Nicole Kidman and the versatile Billy Zane, brought all three to the attention of American audiences. Neill’s turn the following year in the film adaptation of the popular Tom Clancy novel The Hunt for Red October saw him playing tragic Russian defector and submariner Captain Borodin, and cemented his status in American film. Jurassic Park merely elevated that talent and energy to leading man status.
Neill also made a name for himself in many horror movies in popular franchises and subgenres. He played an adult Damien in the Omen franchise. He led the H.P. Lovecraft-inspired movie In the Mouth of Madness, in which he works for a publishing company and is in pursuit of a popular novelist. His character begins to question his reality as his sanity collapses around him. The stand-alone movie Event Horizon, where his character accompanies a rescue ship after it spent years trapped in a horrific other dimension, also delved into the realms of cosmic horror.
Neill was also noted for Bicentennial Man (1999), the TV miniseries Merlin and Merlin’s Apprentice, prestige shows The Tudors and Peaky Blinders, and even an appearance in Thor: Ragnarok. Tragically, he had three films coming up, only two of which may see the big screen, as Freedom Flight has not yet begun filming. His other two projects were a rom-com called The Last Resort, alongside Daisy Ridley and Alden Ehrenreich; and the monster sequel Godzilla vs. Kong: Supernova. Both of these have finished filming, but aren’t due out until at least 2027.
Gone But Not Forgotten
In 2022, Neill was diagnosed with a blood disorder known as angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL), which was unfortunately a rare and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After traditional chemotherapy failed, he underwent an experimental treatment CAR T-cell therapy trial, which put the disease into complete remission. His death was sudden and unexpected; his family has yet to announce the cause of his death, though they said that he had remained cancer-free at the time of his death. The actor had announced his recovery himself earlier this year.
Movies and the entertainment industry will miss the legendary icon, Sam Neill. He carried himself with humility and respect for directors, peers, and fans. Co-stars Laura Dern and Nicole Kidman had nothing but kind words for their male co-star, calling him a noble gentleman. He was considered kind, funny, charming, and intelligent. His memory will endure so long as his movies continue to be respected and beloved by fans. With two more performances to look forward to, there are still chances to see Neill on screen, but it will be bittersweet knowing it will be the last time.
Entertainment
The $99 Fitbit Inspire 3 minimalist fitness tracker is now just $66
SAVE $33.50: As of July 14, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is down to a record-low $66.45 at Amazon in black. That’s 34% off its list price of $99.95.
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The latest Fitbit Air fitness tracker is a pretty epic deal at under $100, but we also still have a sweet spot for the nearly four-year-old Fitbit Inspire 3. And we love it even more now that it’s down to a record-low 34% off.
As of July 14, you can pick up the Fitbit Inspire 3 for only $66.45 at Amazon in the black shade. That’s $33.50 off its list price of $99.95, marking a new best-ever price for the fitness tracker.
Mashable’s reviewer called the Inspire 3 “the budget-friendly fitness tracker of our dreams,” giving it the Mashable Choice award honor. We’re big fans of its intuitive design, impressive app suite, workout insights, and low-profile build. It’s an ideal pick for anyone just dabbling in the fitness world or those who are low-tech and don’t need a small smartphone on their wrist at all times. It’s not going to be as advanced as a full smartwatch, but for basic health and fitness metrics, it’ll have you covered. Plus, of course, it doesn’t cost a fortune.
Mashable Deals
In a market full of tricked out trackers, the Inspire 3 is a minimalist option that nails the basics. And even at full price, it tops our fitness tracker roundup as our favorite budget-friendly option. Now down to a record-low $66.45, we can’t recommend it enough.
Entertainment
Upgrade your PC with $43 off the ASUS Tuf Gaming 1000W Gold power supply
SAVE $43: As of July 14, get the ASUS Tuf Gaming 1000W Gold power supply for $151.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $194.99. That’s a discount of 22%.
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Thinking about building your own gaming PC? You’re going to need a power supply to bring it all together. It can be pricey right now to gather all the components needed for your own custom build, but that’s all the more reason to go ahead and buy when you find some of them on sale. We’ve found one right now that you can pick up for a planned build or use as an upgrade for one you’ve already got.
As of July 14, get the ASUS Tuf Gaming 1000W Gold power supply for $151.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $194.99. That’s $43 off and a discount of 22%.
The ASUS ROG Swift 4K OLED gaming monitor has hit its best-ever price at Amazon — save over $400
This 1000W power supply is a great pick for your build, with a protective PCB coating to help guard against moisture, dust, and high temperatures when you’ve got it installed. It also uses dual ball fan bearings for a long-lasting build that you can count on twice as long as alternative sleeve-bearing options. For the uninitiated, it converts electricity from the wall into the type of low-voltage power your motherboard, GPU, CPU, drives, and fans use.
This one in particular has high enough wattage and voltage to power your high-end GPU and CPU, replace one that just isn’t making the grade, or to install and leave extra capacity for any future upgrades you may be planning. It’s also a great pick if you want more than enough power for an everyday work or casual PC.
Mashable Deals
It’s a good time to go ahead and buy at this price, even if you aren’t planning to enter the PC-building race with the high component and RAM prices happening right now.
Entertainment
Samsung users report bizarre Galaxy S26 Ultra defect
Samsung’s innovative new display technology might be causing problems on its latest flagship phone.
As originally reported by Korean news outlet Newsway (via Phone Arena), some Samsung Galaxy S26 users online have reported a reddish tint taking over their phone’s displays. The S26 Ultra launched earlier this year to very positive reviews (including our own). If the reports are true, that means the defect started popping up within a few months.
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Mashable reached out to Samsung’s mobile representatives for comment, and we will update this story if we receive more information. In a statement to Newsway, the company said it is “currently examining the matter internally to confirm the cause.”
While nobody knows the true cause or scale of this phenomenon, many online sleuths are pointing to the new Privacy Display hardware feature as a possible culprit.
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This new feature, which only exists on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, darkens the screen for people who are standing nearby and viewing the screen from an angle, protecting users’ privacy. Given the nature of Privacy Display and the fact that this issue only seems to plague S26 Ultra devices at the moment, it makes sense that the feature is currently the betting favorite for the cause of this alleged problem.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra review unit tested by Mashable hasn’t developed this issue.
Fun sidenote: As a person with partially color-deficient eyes, I literally can’t see the problem. I guess it’s a good thing I don’t own an S26 Ultra.
The $99 Fitbit Inspire 3 minimalist fitness tracker is now just $66
Upgrade your PC with $43 off the ASUS Tuf Gaming 1000W Gold power supply
