Gene Hackman, the renowned actor who played remarkable roles and won two Oscars over a career spanning more than six decades, was found dead in his home, alongside his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, and the couple's dog, the Santa Fe, New Mexico, sheriff's office reported on Thursday, the 27th. According to statements from local authorities, officers discovered that the actor, who was 95 years old, and Arakawa, aged 64, were already deceased on Thursday afternoon, around 1:45 pm.
“At this time, there is no suspicion of foul play as a factor in these deaths, however, the exact cause has not yet been determined. This is an active and ongoing investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office,” the agency said.
Gene Hackman's Career
Hackman, a former Marine known for his raspy voice, appeared in more than 80 films, as well as television and stage work, over a career that began in the early 1960s. He received his first Academy Award nomination for his breakthrough role as the brother of highwayman Clyde Barrow in the film Bonnie and Clyde (1967). He was also nominated for the Best Supporting Actor award in 1971 for I'll Never Sing for My Father.
His stardom was consolidated with his performance as New York detective Popeye Doyle, who pursues international drug traffickers in the thriller The French Connection, by director William Friedkin, a role that earned him the Oscar for best actor.
Hackman also won an Oscar for best supporting actor in 1993, playing a ruthless sheriff in Clint Eastwood's western Unforgiven. Additionally, he was nominated for an Academy Award again for his role as an FBI agent in the historical drama Mississippi Burning (1988).
Capable of transitioning between menacing and charismatic characters, Hackman described his face, in an interview with the New York Times in 1989, as “that of an ordinary mine worker”.
As a method actor, he used his personal experiences to give depth to his characters. His roles ranged from crude, violent figures to a small-town basketball coach in the sports drama The Defining Moments (1986) and even the villainous Lex Luthor, Superman's archenemy.
Hackman retired in his 70s, saying the roles he was offered were “too grandfatherly.” His last major role was in the comedy Welcome to Mooseport (2004).
Living outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, Hackman was married twice and had three children—Christopher, Elizabeth Jean and Leslie Anne—with his first wife, Faye Maltese, who died in 2017. He married Betsy Arakawa in 1991.
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