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Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered dead at their Santa Fe, New Mexico residence, along with their pet dog.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the tragic news, stating that the couple was found at their home on Sunset Trail on Wednesday afternoon. Authorities are actively investigating but currently do not suspect foul play. Hackman was 95, and Arakawa was 63.
Gene Hackman has sadly passed away at the age of 95. pic.twitter.com/CQEvdCY1LY
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 27, 2025
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Legendary Career Spanning Six Decades
Gene Hackman enjoyed an illustrious acting career spanning over six decades, earning two Academy Awards, two BAFTAs, four Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
He won his first Oscar for Best Actor for his role as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in The French Connection (1971) and later secured a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for portraying Little Bill Daggett in Unforgiven (1992).
Hackman also received Oscar nominations for his roles in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), I Never Sang for My Father (1970), and Mississippi Burning (1988).
Iconic Roles and Film Legacy
Hackman portrayed more than 100 characters throughout his career, including the iconic villain Lex Luthor in the Superman films of the 1970s and 1980s. He also starred in Runaway Jury, The Conversation, and The Royal Tenenbaums. His final film appearance was as Monroe Cole in Welcome to Mooseport (2004).
Born in California in 1930, Hackman joined the army at age 16 by falsifying his age and served for four-and-a-half years.
After his military service, he pursued acting, enrolling at the Pasadena Playhouse in California, where he became friends with Dustin Hoffman.
Hackman moved to New York in 1963, taking on Off-Broadway roles and small TV appearances before rising to prominence in the 1970s.
Who Was Gene Hackman’s Wife?
Hackman was married to his first wife, Faye Maltese, for 30 years, and they raised three children before divorcing in 1986.
He later married Betsy Arakawa, a classical pianist, and the couple largely stayed out of the public eye. In 2008, Hackman confirmed his retirement from acting, shifting his focus to writing novels.
He once shared, “I was trained to be an actor, not a star… It costs me a lot emotionally to watch myself on-screen.”
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the couple’s deaths. Tributes have poured in from fans and Hollywood colleagues, celebrating Hackman’s legendary contributions to cinema and his unforgettable performances.
