Gene Hackman and pianist wife Betsy Arakawa found dead at home with their dog
Award-winning actor Gene Hackman has passed away at 95 years of age. County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told the Santa Fe New Mexican that authorities discovered Hackman and his spouse, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, lifeless on Wednesday afternoon in their residence located in the Santa Fe Summit area northeast of the city.
The police statement read: "We can verify that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead Wednesday." The Press Association verified an "ongoing investigation" into the deaths is taking place. Sheriff Mendoza noted no apparent signs suggested foul play. He neither revealed a death cause nor indicated when the pair might have died.
Hackman had made his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, since the 1980s and tied the knot with Arakawa, 63, in 1991, following their meeting at her workplace, a local gym. Few details exist about Arakawa's subsequent musical career, though Hackman in 2014 commended her "steady, detailed read-throughs" of the western novels he authored later in life.
Law enforcement officers reached the couple's residence in a secured community named Old Sunset Trail on Wednesday afternoon to examine the deaths of two senior citizens and a dog. Whether deputies responded to death notifications or were performing a wellness check remained unclear. The officers located the remains of a man in his 90s and a woman in her 60s, according to Mendoza's initial report.
"I can only state that we are conducting a basic death inquiry, awaiting search warrant authorization," the sheriff explained Wednesday evening, before his department had conclusively identified the individuals. "I wish to reassure the community and local residents that no immediate threat exists," he added.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff's office further stated: "We do not suspect foul play contributed to their deaths; however, the precise death cause remains undetermined at this point."
Francis Ford Coppola ranked among the earliest to honor Hackman, sharing an image of them during the filming of 1974's The Conversation on Instagram. "Losing a great artist always brings both grief and appreciation: Gene Hackman a remarkable actor, motivating and brilliant in his performances," Coppola stated. "I grieve his passing, and honor his life and influence."
Edgar Wright described Hackman as "the greatest" on X, while George Takai referred to him as "one of the true masters of cinema."
He added: "Gene Hackman had the ability to portray any individual, making viewers sense a complete life story behind each character. He could transform into anyone or nobody, a dominant figure or a regular person. This skill showed his immense acting power. People will miss him, but his performances will endure forever."
Hackman maintained a 40-year cinema career, with appearances in The French Connection, Superman, and The Royal Tenenbaums, before ending his acting work in 2004. His fame came somewhat delayed, finding recognition in his 30s and later becoming a symbol of the anti-hero image typical in 1970s Hollywood films.
Born in 1930, he enlisted in the marines during the late 1940s and began pursuing acting studies in the late 1950s. Hackman developed a friendship with Dustin Hoffman at the Pasadena Playhouse where fellow students labeled both as "the least likely to succeed." After accumulating several small roles on television and stage, Hackman first appeared on film alongside Warren Beatty in the 1964 emotional drama Lilith.
Three years afterward, Hackman created his first notable impression with another performance next to Beatty. His portrayal of Buck Barrow in Arthur Penn's Bonnie and Clyde earned him his first Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. Though George Kennedy won for Cool Hand Luke, the recognition led Hackman to his first starring role in 1970's I Never Sang For My Father with Melvyn Douglas.
Yet Hackman found difficulty with the father-son relationship drama. "I undervalued the project and approached it too casually," Hackman explained in a 2002 Guardian interview. "Then Melvyn Douglas approached me saying, 'Gene, you'll never achieve your goals with your current behavior' - he wasn't referring to my acting but my professional conduct. He showed me not to use my doubts as justification for avoiding proper effort."
This guidance helped shape a performance that secured Hackman his second Oscar nomination. The next year he starred in William Friedkin's action thriller The French Connection and rose to A-list status due to the film's commercial success. Hackman received his first Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle.
"Movie production has always contained risks — both physical and emotional — but I prefer to view that film as one highlight in an uneven career of successes and failures," Hackman remarked in a 2021 interview.
Hackman achieved additional success throughout the 70s with parts in The Poseidon Adventure and A Bridge Too Far, while also demonstrating comedy skills through praised performances in Young Frankenstein and Superman, portraying the superhero's adversary Lex Luthor in the latter.
His most exceptional contributions from that era appeared in movies that attracted small audiences: Arthur Penn's detective noir Night Moves, Jerry Schatzberg's travel film Scarecrow, and Coppola's conspiracy thriller The Conversation, which won the Palme d'Or. During this same timeframe, he declined parts in Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Raiders of the Lost Ark.
In the 1980s, Hackman reprised his role as Lex Luthor in Superman continuations while also featuring in Reds, Hoosiers, and No Way Out. He earned another Academy Award nomination for Mississippi Burning before claiming his second Oscar in 1992 for his performance in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven. This decade also included his appearances in The Firm, Crimson Tide, and The Birdcage.
Hackman began his alternative profession as a historical fiction writer with his initial publication Wake of the Perdido Star, followed by four additional books, with the latest released in 2011. His subsequent film performances featured celebrated humorous roles in Heartbreakers and The Royal Tenenbaums plus suspense films like Heist and Runaway Jury. The 2004 comedy Welcome to Mooseport marked his final screen appearance.
In 2008, he announced his departure from acting. "The decisive factor was a cardiac evaluation I underwent in New York," Hackman explained to Empire magazine regarding his retirement. "The physician informed me my heart condition was not suitable for exposure to any strain."
Following his acting career, Hackman provided voiceover for two documentaries: The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima in 2016 and We, the Marines in 2017. He also collaborated on three historical fiction novels with Daniel Lenihan before creating two independent works, with his latest titled Pursuit, a crime mystery.
Photographers captured him and Arakawa most recently during a restaurant outing in Santa Fe last year. Both individuals looked healthy and content.
In a 2009 discussion with Empire magazine, Hackman remarked, "I focus on my health. I have few anxieties. I experience the typical concern about mortality. You know, I suppose everyone contemplates that, particularly at an advanced age. I want to ensure my spouse and my relatives receive proper care. Beyond that, I maintain few worries."
When questioned in a 2011 interview about how he would characterize his existence, he answered: "'He attempted.' I consider that quite accurate."
