Gene Hackman, the Oscar-winning American actor, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office released a statement saying, “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail. This is an active investigation – however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor.”
Hackman, who was 95, had a career that spanned over six decades, earning numerous prestigious accolades, including two Academy Awards, two BAFTAs, four Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He won the Oscar for Best Actor for his iconic role as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in The French Connection (1971) and Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Little Bill Daggett in Unforgiven (1992). His other Oscar-nominated performances include roles in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), I Never Sang for My Father (1970), and Mississippi Burning (1988).
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed the couple’s deaths shortly after midnight on Wednesday. Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, was 63. Authorities have yet to release the cause of death or the estimated time of passing, with Sheriff Mendoza stating, “All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant.”
Hackman, regarded as one of Hollywood’s finest actors, had more than 100 roles to his name. He famously portrayed Lex Luthor in the Superman films of the 1970s and 1980s, and starred in Runaway Jury, The Conversation, and The Royal Tenenbaums. His last major film appearance was in Welcome to Mooseport (2004).
Born in California in 1930, Hackman enlisted in the army at 16 after lying about his age, serving for four-and-a-half years. His love for acting led him to the Pasadena Playhouse, where he befriended a young Dustin Hoffman.
Reflecting on his career, Hackman once said, “I was trained to be an actor, not a star. I was trained to play roles, not to deal with fame and agents and lawyers and the press.” He also shared his struggle with watching himself on screen: “It really costs me a lot emotionally to watch myself on-screen. I think of myself, and feel like I’m quite young, and then I look at this old man with the baggy chins and the tired eyes and the receding hairline and all that.”
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the couple’s deaths.
