Oscar winner Gene Hackman, wife, found dead

OSCAR-winning actor Gene Hackman was found dead alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog at their Santa Fe home on Wednesday afternoon.

Hackman was 95, and his wife was 63. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office confirmed that foul play is not suspected, though the cause of death remains undetermined.

A statement released by the Sheriff’s office on Thursday morning read: “On February 26, 2025, at approximately 1:45 p.m., Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park where Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, and a dog were found deceased.”

Hackman achieved widespread recognition for his Oscar-winning roles in “The French Connection” and “Unforgiven.” His extensive career spanned decades, encompassing a diverse range of characters in dramas, comedies, and action films from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s. Notable performances include his roles in “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Superman” (as Lex Luthor), and Wes Anderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums.”

Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, who directed Hackman in “The Conversation,” paid tribute on Instagram, stating: “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.”