Listen to Australian and world news and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.TRANSCRIPTOn Monday, the news broke that Sam Neill had passed away at the age of 78, with his family by his side.Tributes have flowed for the revered actor.New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has released a statement that talked of Sam Neill being one of the movie greats."He started out when there was barely a film industry in this country to speak of Our thoughts are with his family and friends."Australia's Prime Minister has also had kind words to say for the actor, who had long been considered an honorary Aussie despite being born in 1947 in Northern Ireland, and emigrating to New Zealand at the age of seven.In a statement, Mr Albanese reflected on the way Sam had fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that infused every performance on screen, saying he would be long revered and remembered.Australian director Phillip Noyce directed Neill in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm alongside Nicole Kidman, and has told the Guardian that Sam was the most gentlemanly actor he had ever encountered, who was level-headed and sincere in a show business world of crazy egos.Other actors including Magda Szubanski have posted their own similar tributes on social media."I've just heard the news about Sam and like everyone else I'm absolutely shocked and devastated..