Nicole Kidman paid tribute to her “friend for life” Sam Neill after his sudden death.
“He was one of the greats… A joy to be around. We met when I was just 18, and he took me under his wing and we stayed friends for life,” the actress told People in a statement Monday.
“He was charming, kind, funny, and intelligent. He will be greatly missed, and my heart goes out to his family.”
The duo, notably, starred together in the 1989 thriller “Dead Calm,” in which they played a married couple.
It was Kidman’s breakout performance that catapulted her to international stardom and launched her Hollywood career.
Neill’s family announced his death on Monday via Instagram.
“It is with immense sadness that the whānau [family] of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia,” the late actor’s loved ones penned.
“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life,” the statement continued. “The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free.”
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