Edgar Wright, Francis Ford Coppola lead tributes to Gene Hackman

27 February, 2025

Gene Hackman

Tributes have poured in for Gene Hackman, who passed away yesterday aged 95.

Gene Hackman was reportedly found dead with his wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog on Wednesday afternoon (February 26) in their home in the New Mexico city of Santa Fe, Per the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Their deaths were confirmed by Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza hours later at midnight. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that, in an interview, Mendoza stated there was no immediate indication of foul play. No cause of death was provided, along with a possible time of death.

Arakawa, a classical pianist, was 63. He is survived by his three children: Christopher, Elizabeth Jean and Leslie Anne, with whom he shared with his late ex-wife, Faye Maltese, who died in 2017.

One of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors, Hackman worked as an actor for over four decades. He won Best Actor at the Academy Awards for the classic crime thriller The French Connection, and Best Supporting Actor for Clint Eastwood’s Western Unforgiven.

He also appeared in 1978’s Superman as villain Lex Luthor, and in Wes Anderson comedy The Royal Tenenbaums. He retired from acting in 2004, and would go on to write a number of crime novels.

Francis Ford Coppola, his director on The Conversation, posted on Instagram with a picture of the pair on set. The caption read: “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”.

Edgar Wright, who cited The French Connection as an inspiration for his 2017 film Baby Driver, shared a picture of the actor on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote “The greatest…”

Hollywood star Antonio Banderas also tweeted: “A very sad day for the cinema’s family. Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have passed away. My deepest condolences to friends, family and cinema lovers. RIP”

Star Trek legend George Takei posted: “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 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”.

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