Following thetragic death of Michelle Trachtenbergon Wednesday, Hollywood was rocked again by the news that legendary actorGene Hackmanand his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were both found dead at their home in Santa Fe with their dog. The terrible news shared by theSanta Fe New Mexicanreported that Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed the news that the couple had been discovered just after midnight on Thursday morning, although they could not reveal a cause of death at the time.
In a statement shared by the Sheriff’s Office said,“We do not believe foul play was a factor in their deaths. However, exact cause of death has not been determined at this time.”
Gene Hackman’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes
Gene Hackman has had an incredible career, having played some of the most iconic characters in Hollywood’s history.
Hackman, who was 95, was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, having appeared in many iconic roles across his career, including playingLex Luthor in Christopher Reeve’sSupermanmovies, winning an Oscar for his role inThe French Connection, and picking up another for his supporting role in Clint Eastwood’sUnforgiven. The actor has previously been the subject of several death hoaxes, with claims flooding the internet of his passing for almost a decade on numerous occasions. Sadly, this time, it appears not to be the case.
The Life and Career of Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman leaves behind an incredible legacy, and is remembered as one of the most versatile and respected stars in the industry. With a career of more than five decades,even though he bowed out of Hollywood in 2004, his presence has continued to be felt as his movies jump around streaming platforms, constantly discovering new audiences and building on his already huge fan base.
Born Eugene Allen Hackman in 1930, the actor joined the U.S. Marine Corps as a teenager, and subsequently held a number of jobs before turning to acting in his late 20s. Beginning his acting journey studying at the Pasadena Playhouse, Hackman was not considered to have massive potential during his time there, something that would be proven very wrong from the moment he received his big break in 1967’sBonnie and Clyde.
InBonnie and Clyde, Hackman starred as outlaw Buck Barrow alongside Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, which earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination and set him on an upward trajectory in Hollywood. In 1971, he proved that he had a bright future ahead when he won Best Actor for playing Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle inThe French Connection, a role that, along with the likes of Clint Eastwood’s Harry Callahan, would bring a new kind of gritty, uncompromising style of detective to cinema and form the basis for many that followed.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Hackman delivered many performances that defined his career, from 1974’sThe Conversation, a Francis Ford Coppola movie in which he played a paranoid, tormented surveillance expert living in the wake of the Watergate scandal, to his forever-remembered role as DC Comics villain Lex Luthor in Richard Donner’sSuperman, a part he played in several sequels and one that every subsequent actor to take on the role has been compared to.
After many more acclaimed roles in movies such asMississippi Burning, Hoosiers,andNo Way Out, his role as Little Bill Daggett in 1992’sUnforgivenbrought him his second Oscar. Continuing to work throughout the next decade, Hackman made appearances with Tom Cruise in John Grisham’sThe Firm, Keanu Reeves inThe Replacements, Morgan Freeman inUnder Suspicion, and reunited with Clint Eastwood inAbsolute Power.
Gene Hackman’s Late Career Switch
Showing his range, Hackman also delivered several comedic performances in the 1996 movieThe Birdcage, 2001’sHeartbreakers, and of course as the head of the household inThe Royal Tenenbaums, which became a late career highlight and landed him a Golden Globe for Best Actor. In 2004, after his final movieWelcome to Mooseport, Hackman stepped back from acting, and,except for some rare interview moments, lived out the rest of his life away from the public eye.
Hackman’s legacy is found not just in his extensive filmography, but in his influence on other actors throughout his career. As one of Hollywood’s greats, Hackman’s tragic passing closes a particular chapter in the industry that will be felt by many this morning.
