Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead with their dog on Thursday (Image: Getty Images)
Two-time Oscar winner and author Gene Hackman has been found dead at the age of 95 alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa.
Santa Fe County Sherrif Adan Mendoza confirmed just after midnight on Thursday (February 27) that the legendary actor and the classical pianist, 3, and their dog had sadly died but no foul play is suspected in relation to their passing.
In an interview with the local media, Sherriff Mendoza said there was no indication of foul play and they have yet to provide a cause of death or confirm when the couple had died.
Gene Hackman had a decorated career which spanned more than six decades, where he won a number of gongs including an Oscar for Best Actor in 1972 for his role in The French Connection. He also won an Academy Award for his role in Unforgiven.
As fans of the veteran mourn their loss across the globe, let’s take a look inside his reclusive family life away from the cameras.
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He had a four-year career in the army before he became an actor (Image: Getty Images)
Early life
Born in California on January 30, 1930, the actor enlisted into the army after lying about his age at just 16 years old. After four and a half years on the field, he moved back to the Golden State. The star decided to pursue a career in acting after living in New York where he studied journalism.
He was a member of the Pasadena Playhouse, where he became close friends with fellow actor Dustin Hoffman, although they were seen as outsiders by a majority of their actors.
Acting beginnings
At the start of his career, he accepted bits parts in the late 1950s and ‘60s to get his start on the small screen. Eventually, he made his way to the theatre where he became a huge success on Broadway with 1964’s Any Wednesday.
After a debut film turn in Lilith later on that year, he appeared in 967’s Bonnie and Clyde, earning his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, followed by a second nod for his 1970s picture, I Never Sang for My Father.
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In 1971, he won an Oscar for Best Actor for The French Connection (Image: Getty Images)
Legacy
In 1971, he won an Oscar for Best Actor for The French Connection, starring in 10 pictures over the next three years alone. He also swiped up a second Oscar for the 1992 western Unforgiven.
His other notable credits include the Superman franchise as Lex Luthor, The Poseidon Adventure in 1972, The Conversation in 1974, Mississippi Burning in 1988, The Firm in 1993, Enemy of the State in 1998, The Royal Tenebaums in 2001 and Runaway Jury in 2003.
Family life
Away from the big screen, from 1956 to 1986, Gene was married to Faye Maltese, which whom he welcomed son Christopher and daughter Elizabeth and Leslie. Not much is known about his children, although they have been photographed with their famous father at several glamorous events.
In 1991, he walked down the aisle with classical pianist Arakawa, who is 30 years his junior. The pair lived in Santa Fe and remained an active part of their community for many years.
The Hollywood veteran retired from acting in 2004 (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Retirement
Gene’s last film role was in 2004’s Welcome to Mooseport, and announced soon after his intention to retire from acting. The reclusive actor was last pictured back in March 2024, when he was seen holding onto his wife’s arm for support as they stepped out for lunch at Pappadeaux’s Seafood Kitchen in New Mexico.
The sighting of the couple marked the first time they were seen together in public for 21 years, with the last time being at the 2003 Golden Globe Awards where he won the Cecil B. deMille award.
On July 7, 2004, he gave a rare interview with Larry King in which he announced that he had no new film projects lined up and believed his acting career was over. Years later, he confirmed his retirement while promoting his book in 2008.
He told Reuters at the time: “I haven’t held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I’m not going to act any longer. I’ve been told not to say that over the last few years, in case some real wonderful part comes up, but I really don’t want to do it any longer.”
Career U-turn
Later in life, he turned his energy to writing after bidding farewell to acting. The doting dad penned three historical fiction novels with undersea archaeologist Daniel Kenihan, and two solo pieces in 2011 and 2013.
He explained his passion for writing novels, admitting: “I like the loneliness of it, actually. It’s similar in some ways to acting, but it’s more private and I feel like I have more control over what I’m trying to say and do.
“There’s always a compromise in acting and in film, you work with so many people and everyone has an opinion… I don’t know that I like it better than acting, it’s just different. I find it relaxing and comforting.”