Superman star Gene Hackman, who turned 95 last month, has been found with his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, in their New Mexico home alongside their dog on Wednesday afternoon.
A statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff in New Mexico stated that there is currently an "active investigation" into the death.
© Getty ImagesThe police department said: “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail.
“This is an active investigation – however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor.”
© Dave Lewis/ShutterstockThe sheriff added: "All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant."
© Getty ImagesA Hollywood legend, Gene received two Oscars and two Baftas in his decades-spanning career, including the Best Actor Oscar in 1972 for his role in The French Connection and the Best Supporting Actor award for Western Unforgiven, directed by Clint Eastwood.
Friends and colleagues paid tribute
Superman co-star Valerie Perrine, who played Gene's on-screen girlfriend Eve Teschmacher, paid her respects to the late star on X, formerly known as Twitter.
She wrote: "The great Gene Hackman has passed away. He was a genius & 1 of the greatest to grace the silver screen. I had the honor of working with Him on Superman. His performances are legendary. His talent will be missed. Goodbye my sweet Lex Till we meet again. Valerie".
American filmmaking legend Francis Ford Coppola, who directed Gene in The Conversation, also wrote a tribute to the Oscar-winning actor.
Taking to Instagram, he wrote: "The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution."
© Getty ImagesStar Trek legend George Takei took to Twitter to praise Gene. He wrote: "We have lost one of the true giants of the screen. Gene Hackman could play anyone, and you could feel a whole life behind it."
He continued: "He could be everyone and no one, a towering presence or an everyday Joe. That’s how powerful an actor he was. He will be missed, but his work will live on forever."
Gene's early life
Gene was born in California on 30 January 1930, and decided that he wanted to become an actor at aged 10 after watching his first movie.
© Alamy Stock PhotoHe enlisted in the army at 16, lying about his age, and stayed for four and a half years before moving back to California. He decided to pursue acting completely after briefly living in New York and studying journalism.
Gene was a member of the Pasadena Playhouse, where he became incredibly close with Dustin Hoffman, as the two were seen as outsiders by most of their cohort.
Gene Hackman: 5 surprising facts
© Getty Images1. Joining the Marines
At 16, Gene left home to join the Marines, just three years after his father had abandoned his family.
2. 'Least likely to succeed'
Gene studied acting at Pasadena Theatre's acting school, where he was classmates and friends with Dustin Hoffman. Both were dubbed "least likely to succeed" because they didn’t fit the typical young leading man stereotype. Of course, they both proved everyone wrong.
3. His big break came later
Gene Hackman's career proves that big breaks can come later in life. At 37, he landed his first big role in the classic Bonnie and Clyde, which earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. However, it wasn’t until he was 41 that he landed his first leading role.
4. Retiring from acting
By the early 2000s, Gene had hundreds of film credits to his name but the stress of his career was taking a toll on his health. He told Empire that part of the reason for his retirement was the physical and emotional strain attendant on acting.
5. He didn’t watch his hit films
The French Connection, one of his most famous films, earned him an Oscar. However, Gene admitted in a 2021 interview with The New York Post that he only watched the film once during the initial screening. He didn’t enjoy watching himself on screen and didn’t grasp the lasting legacy of his films.
A true Hollywood legend
First taking bit parts in the late 1950s and early '60s to get a start, he soon made his way to the stage, becoming a Broadway success when he starred in Muriel Resnik's Tony-award-winning play, Any Wednesday.
© ShutterstockWhile he made his big screen debut with Lilith in the same year, his breakout was in 1976's Bonnie and Clyde, which earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
He earned another nomination for Gilbert Cates' I Never Sang For My Father (1970). He won his first Oscar for The French Connection the very next year, and starred in over 10 films in the next three years alone.
He appeared in many other successful films, including the Superman franchise, starring the late Christopher Reeve, as Lex Luthor, The Conversation (1974), Mississippi Burning (1988), Enemy of the State (1998) and The Royal Tenenbaums (2001). After 2004's Welcome to Mooseport, Gene retired entirely from acting and made his last official public appearance in 2007.
First married to Faye Maltese between 1956 and 1986, he tied the knot with his current wife Betsy Arakawa in 1991. The couple lived in Santa Fe and remained an active part of the community for many years.
