There is a sudden scramble to honour silver screen legend Gene Hackman (Image: Getty)
The glitz and glamour of the upcoming on Sunday, March 2, have reportedly been overshadowed by the sudden scramble to honour silver screen legend , who died under mysterious circumstances. Insiders reveal that the Oscars team is under the gun to craft a moving In Memoriam segment for the celebrated actor. “The Oscars are scrambling to pull together an in-memoriam tribute to Gene Hackman in time,” a source shared.
Hackman, who was 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, were found dead at their $3.3 million Santa Fe mansion on Wednesday. Their cause of death remains unknown. Following the tragic discovery, the Oscars insider added to the : “Of course the awards plan to pay tribute to him.”
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Hackman’s storied career boasted an Academy Award for his role in The French Connection (Image: Getty)
Hackman’s storied career boasted an Academy Award for his role in The French Connection, along with a BAFTA and a Golden Globe for Best Actor. He clinched the same set of awards once again for his powerhouse performance in ’s 1992 masterpiece Unforgiven.
Veteran actress Sally Kirkland, who worked closely with Hackman, expressed her firm belief that the Oscars would indeed honour the icon.
“It would be a real shame if the Oscars did not honour him and memorialize him in the way that they should. I am certain that they will do this. There is no way that they couldn’t,” she told the aforementioned publication.
Kirkland recalled how Hackman was a steadfast ally during their time together and added that “Gene always stuck up for her” after they first met when they were both members of In The Actor’s Studio.
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Hackman, who was 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, were found in a chilling state (Image: Getty)
Kirkland, 83, and also an Oscar winner, grieved the tragic end to Hackman’s journey. “We are both Oscar winners and it was incredible going on this long journey with him. He deserved the success he had and was one of the greats,” she added. “The icons are all almost gone.”
The tragedy came to light when a neighbour alarmed emergency services, leading to the grim discovery of Hackman and his wife.
The couple’s daughter, Leslie Anne Hackman, revealed that the family is anxiously awaiting updates from law enforcement as the cause of death remains a haunting question.
Speculations from Leslie and her sister, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, suggest a potential carbon monoxide leak could have led to the fatal incident, a theory supported by the simultaneous death of one of their dogs.
Revelations from an arrest warrant disclosed both bodies showed signs of advanced decomposition, suggesting that they had been dead for some time before they were discovered.