Sam Neill had pneumonia before his tragic death: co-star

Sam Neill's "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" co-star Rima Te Wiata has said the late actor had pneumonia before his death. Te Wiata told the New Zealand Herald that Neill would have been frustrated to have overcome cancer only to then contract pneumonia. Neill's family announced his death on Monday at the age of 78, stating he was surrounded by family and remained cancer-free, though the loss was sudden and unexpected. Neill's ex-partner Laura Tingle also commented, saying the actor had been "pretty sick" and that his body was compromised after years of fighting various forms of cancer. Tingle noted that Neill had been sick for the last couple of weeks and that his immune system was exhausted from extensive chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Neill had announced he was cancer-free in April after battling angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.