Gene Hackman

Eugene Allen Hackman was an American actor whose career spanned over four decades, making him a central figure of the New Hollywood movement. He won two Academy Awards, for Best Actor in The French Connection and Best Supporting Actor in Unforgiven, and received nominations for Bonnie and Clyde and Mississippi Burning. His portrayals of Lex Luthor in the Superman films and roles in The Conversation, Hoosiers, and The Royal Tenenbaums cemented his reputation as one of his generation's finest performers.

Quick Facts

Birth name: Eugene Allen Hackman
Born: 30 January 1930
Birthplace: San Bernardino, California, U.S.
Died: c. 18 February 2025
Place of death: Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.
Resting place: Rivera Memorial Gardens, Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.
Occupation: Actor
Years active: 1956–2004

Facts from the source article.

Did You Know?

Hackman co-wrote three historical fiction novels with undersea archaeologist Daniel Lenihan: Wake of the Perdido Star, Justice for None, and Escape from Andersonville.
After retiring from acting, he narrated four episodes of the NFL Films series America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions in 2007.
His final novel, Pursuit, a police thriller, was published in 2013.

Early life and military service

Eugene Allen Hackman was born in San Bernardino, California, to Anna Lyda Elizabeth, a Canadian-born actress and waitress, and Eugene Ezra Hackman, a newspaper pressman. The family moved often before settling in Danville, Illinois, where Hackman decided at age ten to become an actor. His parents divorced when he was thirteen. He left home at sixteen, lied about his age, and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving four and a half years as a field radio operator.

Stationed in China as part of Operation Beleaguer, he helped destroy Japanese equipment to prevent its capture by Communist forces. After the Communist takeover in 1949, he was reassigned to Hawaii and Japan. Discharged in 1951, he moved to New York City, worked various jobs, and studied journalism at the University of Illinois under the G.I. Bill but left before graduating. His mother died in 1962 from a fire she accidentally started while smoking.

Career

Hackman began pursuing acting in 1956 at the Pasadena Playhouse, where he befriended Dustin Hoffman; both were voted least likely to succeed, and Hackman received the lowest score the Playhouse had given. He moved to New York City, working at Howard Johnson's between jobs. He performed off-Broadway starting with Witness for the Prosecution in 1957 and made his Broadway debut in 1963. His first credited film role was in Lilith (1964).

He appeared in television series such as Route 66 and The Defenders and had small film parts before being cast as Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He won the Oscar for Best Actor for The French Connection (1971) and a second Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Unforgiven (1992). His other notable films include The Conversation, Night Moves, Hoosiers, No Way Out, Crimson Tide, Get Shorty, Enemy of the State, and The Royal Tenenbaums. He played Lex Luthor in three Superman films. Hackman retired from acting in 2004.

Personal life

Hackman married Faye Maltese in 1956; they had three children—Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie—and divorced in 1986. He married classical pianist Betsy Arakawa on December 1, 1991, after a seven-year courtship. They lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in a home featured in Architectural Digest. Hackman was a Democratic Party supporter and was proud to be on Nixon's Enemies List, though he spoke fondly of Ronald Reagan.

He competed in Sports Car Club of America races in the late 1970s, won the Long Beach Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race in 1980, and drove in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1983. A fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, he regularly attended games as a guest of coach Jack Del Rio. Hackman had an interest in architecture and design, having created ten homes by 1990. He underwent angioplasty in 1990 and was struck by a pickup truck while cycling in 2012, sustaining only bumps and bruises. He was last seen in public in March 2024.

Death

In his final months, Hackman's health declined and he stopped communicating with family and friends. His wife, Betsy Arakawa, was last seen alive on February 11, 2025, and died at home from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Hackman, unable to comprehend her death due to Alzheimer's disease, died around February 18 in the home's entryway; his pacemaker recorded an abnormal rhythm. The cause of death was severe heart disease complicated by advanced Alzheimer's and kidney disease.

Their bodies and one of their three dogs were found on February 26 by maintenance workers; the other two dogs were alive. The deaths were deemed suspicious enough to warrant investigation, though foul play was not suspected. Hackman's estate requested that police body camera footage be blocked. Arakawa's will stipulated that if both died within 90 days, proceeds would go to charity; Hackman's 1995 will named Arakawa as sole inheritor, with his children already provided for through trusts. In October 2025, Bonhams auctioned his belongings, including art, scripts, and three Golden Globe Awards.