Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and wife found dead at their home

Hollywood icon Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday, authorities confirmed. Hackman, 95, was a highly respected actor, best known for his roles in The French Connection, Superman, and Unforgiven.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said deputies discovered the couple at their Sunset Trail residence in the afternoon. Their dog was also found dead.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza stated, “This is an active investigation. At this time, we do not believe foul play was a factor.”

However, officials have not yet confirmed the cause of death and are awaiting a search warrant as part of the investigation.

Gene Hackman had a career spanning six decades and won two Academy Awards—Best Actor for The French Connection (1971) and Best Supporting Actor for Unforgiven (1992). He also won two BAFTAs, four Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

His breakthrough role came in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), earning him his first Oscar nomination. He later received additional nominations for I Never Sang for My Father (1970) and Mississippi Burning (1988). Some of his other famous films include The Conversation (1974), Runaway Jury (2003), and The Royal Tenenbaums (2001).

Hackman’s last film was Welcome to Mooseport (2004), after which he retired from acting.

Born in California in 1930, Hackman joined the U.S. Marine Corps at just 16 and served for four and a half years. After leaving the military, he trained as an actor at the Pasadena Playhouse, where he formed a lifelong friendship with Dustin Hoffman.

Despite his fame, Hackman remained humble and once said, “I was trained to be an actor, not a star. I was trained to play roles, not to deal with fame.”

News of Hackman’s passing has left Hollywood and his fans in shock. Many have taken to social media to pay tribute to one of the greatest actors of all time.

Authorities are expected to provide more details about the couple’s deaths in the coming days.