Gene Hackman fans are sharing his emotional 1972 Oscars speech in memory of the late actor

27 February, 2025

Gene Hackman

Movie fans on X (formerly Twitter) have shared their appreciation for the late Gene Hackman by sharing his Oscar acceptance speech.

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. Hackman was 95, while pianist Arakawa was 63.

The Santa Fe New Mexican also reported that, in an interview, authorities stated there was no immediate indication of foul play. No cause of death was provided, along with a possible time of death.

The clip shared online, from 1972, sees Hackman winning Best Actor for his role in The French Connection, with the win being announced by fellow actor Liza Minnelli. As he takes to the stage, he jokingly checks for his name on the winner’s envelope and remarks “That’s what it says!”

He continues: “Thank you very much. I just want to start at the beginning just for a second and say, sitting out there next to Barbara Harris reminds me of my first acting scene ever. It was in New York, and the gentlemen sitting in front of us when we were doing that scene was my acting teacher, and I just have to mention his name: George Morrison. I want to thank him”.

He then thanked the film’s director, and Best Director winner, William Friedkin “Also, Mr. Billy Friedkin, who has already received his prize tonight, but I have to thank him because he really brought me through this when I wanted to quit”.

Toward the end of the speech, the actor’s voice cracks with emotion. “And last, a young lady who I met in New York many years ago, Miss Felippa Maltese, and she brought me uptown. Thank you”. Maltese was Hackman’s first wife, to whom he was married from 1956 to 1986, sharing three children. Maltese passed away in 2017.

One reply wrote: “This is a nice remembrance of Gene Hackman. Sincere and heartfelt appreciation for the award and for the people who helped him along the way”. Another remarked “Amazing how the actors whom portray the most badass, unempathetic people on screen, are the most real”.

One fan celebrated his work in the crime thriller, saying; “One of my favourite films and one of the best acting performances. RIP Gene Hackman”. Another wondered if he will be celebrated at the upcoming Academy Awards. “The Oscars are on Sunday I hope they pay a great tribute to 1 of their very best” they posted.

Tributes have come from across the movie business to the actor, with Edgar Wright describing him as “The Greatest” and Francis Ford Coppola called him “inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity”.

The post Gene Hackman fans are sharing his emotional 1972 Oscars speech in memory of the late actor appeared first on NME.