Gene Hackman, the esteemed actor renowned for his roles in “The French Connection” and “Unforgiven,” was discovered deceased alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog at their residence in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the discovery, noting that there were no signs of foul play. Sheriff Adan Mendoza stated, “All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant.”
Hackman, aged 95, had a distinguished career spanning over four decades, earning two Academy Awards and multiple nominations for his versatile performances.
He retired from acting in 2004 to focus on writing and painting. Arakawa, 63, was a classical pianist. The couple had been married since 1991 and resided in Santa Fe since the 1980s.
Tributes have poured in from the film industry, with director Francis Ford Coppola remarking, “His contribution to cinema is unparalleled.” Actor George Takei tweeted, “A towering figure in Hollywood has left us.”
Hackman is survived by his three children from his first marriage. The cause of death remains under investigation.
