It has been announced that Hollywood icon Gene Hackman has passed away, along with his wife Betsy Arakawa, at their home in Santa Fe. Police confirmed the news shortly after midnight
Hollywood actor Gene Hackman passed away at the age of 95, along with his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, and their dog. The couple were found at their Santa Fe home.
Local police confirm the details of the couple’s death just after midnight, which shocked fans all over the world. Fans have been keen to know what happened to the acting legend and his wife, but no cause of death has been revealed yet.
Although foul play was not suspected, authorities have not released circumstances of their deaths and said an investigation was ongoing. Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies found Hackman, his wife and his dog were found dead when they preformed a welfare check at the home around 1:45 p.m, spokesperson Denise Avila said.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza shared with GB News: “All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant.
“We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail. This is an active investigation – however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor.”
“I want to assure the community and neighbourhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone.”
The actor, who was known for his starring roles in films such as The French Connection, Unforgiven and Bonnie and Clyde, became reclusive in later years.
News of his death comes just four days before this year’s Academy Awards ceremony. The couple’s home is in a gated community just outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico’s capital city. Hackman moved in the 1980s to the area, where he was often seen around town and served as a board member of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in the 1990s, according to the local paper, The New Mexican.
Hackman played a variety of roles, appearing in action movies, thrillers and even had a comedic part in “Young Frankenstein.” Aside from appearances at awards shows, he was rarely seen in the Hollywood social circuit and retired in his mid-70s.
After spending his career in the spotlight, he retired from acting in 2004 and has been spotted looking frail in more recent years. In one of the last’s snap shared of him, Gene could be seen standing arm in arm with comedians Seth Rudetsky and Ana Gasteyer back in 2022.
He was last publicly spotted in March 2024, when he stepped out in Santa Fe, New Mexico with Betsy, who was 32 years his junior. He could be seen walking close with his wife as they visited Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen.
The elderly actor used a walking stick for support as he made his way down the restaurant’s steps. They were said to be in good spirits during the day of their last sighting.
In a career spanning more than six decades, Gene received a plethora of awards including two Academy Awards, two Baftas, four Golden Globes and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
The star was married twice and had three children from his first marriage. Gene got hitched to his first wife Faye Maltese in 1956, with whom he had one son and two daughters: Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne Hackman.
In 1991, he married his second wife Betsy, but the pair did not have any children with one another.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
