Gene Hackman updates: Authorities reveal shocking causes of deaths of Oscar-winning actor and wife

The causes of death for Gene Hackman, who was 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, who was 65, were revealed today at a press conference at Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.

Dr Heather Jerrell, New Mexico’s Chief Medical Examiner, announced that Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a severe respiratory illness caused by viruses that are transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents.

Her exact time of death is not known, but she was last seen on 11 February.

Gene Hackman died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. According to information gathered from his pacemaker, he likely died on 18 February.

Dr Jerrell explained: “He was in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s and it is quite possible he was not aware she was deceased.”

The couple were found dead in their Santa Fe home on February 26 alongside one of their pet dogs, Zinna.

The cause of death for Zinna (short for Zinfandel), a kelpie mix, has not yet been determined.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Zinna has been been taken for necropsy at Veterinary Diagnostic Services, with results still awaited. He also revealed that Arakawa had collected Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital on February 9.

“There was a procedure that was done with the dog, which may explain why their dog was in a crate at the residence,” added Mendoza.

According to a police search warrant, the actor, his wife and their dog were found in separate rooms and appeared to have been “dead for some time”. The couple suffered “no external trauma”, the preliminary findings of a medical investigation found.

At a press conference last Friday, Sheriff Mendoza confirmed that both Hackman and Arakawa had tested negative for carbon monoxide.

Hackman was one of the best-loved stars in Hollywood, appearing in classic films such as The French Connection,The Conversation and Superman.

He won Oscars for The French Connection and Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven and stepped away from the spotlight a few years after 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums.

Key Points

What is Hantavirus?

08:25 , Jacob Stolworthy

Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa was killed by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

The rare and potentially deadly disease, which is spread through rodents, needs to be treated early before severe symptoms develop.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Gene Hackman’s wife was killed by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. What is it?

Alzheimer’s and a rare disease: Everything we know about Gene Hackman and wife’s deaths

07:00 , Kevin Perry

Following a press conference on Friday, much more is now understood about the deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa.

Here’s everything we know:

Everything we know about Gene Hackman and wife’s shocking death from natural causes

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa died of unconnected natural causes, medical examiner reveals

06:30 , Kevin Perry

Timeline of Betsy Arakawa’s final days

06:02 , Kevin Perry

Two days after collecting Zinna from the vet, Betsy Arakawa was seen in public for the final time on February 11.

Between 3:30 p.m. and 4:15 p.m., she was captured on surveillance footage shopping for groceries at Sprouts Farmers Market. She was later seen in a CVS Pharmacy in Santa Fe from around 4:12 to 4:20 p.m., before stopping at a local pet food store at about 4:54 p.m.

She used a remote control clicker in her car to enter the gated community where the Hackmans’ lived at 5:15 p.m.

After her death numerous emails were found unopened on her computer from February 11, and there was no additional outgoing communication from her or known activity after that date.

Read more here:

Everything we know about Gene Hackman and wife’s shocking death from natural causes

Unclear whether Hackman was going to seek help

05:01 , Kevin Perry

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said it was hard to tell, judging by where and how Hackman was found, if he had been going to seek help for his wife. “That’s hard to answer,” Mendoza said.

“Again, it’s hard to get into the frame of mind of what was happening at the time. And I don’t know if we’ll ever have the answer to that question, whether he was going to go for help.”

Read more here:

Gene Hackman and his wife died one week apart from natural causes, authorities say

Gene Hackman’s wife was killed by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. What is it?

04:00 , Kevin Perry

The rare and potentially deadly disease needs to be treated early before severe symptoms develop.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Gene Hackman’s wife was killed by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. What is it?

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife died one week apart, medical examiner says

03:02 , Kevin Perry

Update on the Hackmans’ deceased dog

02:06 , Kevin Perry

Zinna (short for Zinfandel), the kelpie mix who was found dead in a crate not far from Betsy Arakawa, has been taken for necropsy at the Veterinary Diagnostic Services.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza said: “We’ll be awaiting those results.”

He also revealed that Arakawa had collected Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital on February 9.

“There was a procedure that was done with the with the dog, which may explain why their dog was in a crate at the residence,” said Mendoza.

Gene Hackman had advanced Alzheimer’s and possibly didn’t know his wife died a week earlier, medical examiner says

01:00 , Kevin Perry

Hackman died ‘with no food in his stomach’

00:20 , Kevin Perry

Asked about Hackman’s ability to keep himself alive after his wife’s death, New Mexico’s Chief Medical Examiner Dr Heather Jerrell said: “I’m not aware of what his normal daily functioning capability was. He was in a very poor state of health.

“He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that is what resulted in his death.

“I was able to look at fluid to determine if he was dehydrated, and I did not see evidence of dehydration. I did see evidence of very poor kidney function, and I think he died as a result of his heart disease, with Alzheimer’s being a contributing factor.”

Asked whether starvation was a factor in his death, Dr Jerrell added: “There was no food in his stomach, which means he had not eaten recently, but he had also no evidence of dehydration.”

Arakawa could have contracted hantavirus up to eight weeks before her death

00:00 , Kevin Perry

While discussing the manner of Betsy Arakawa’s death, New Mexico’s Chief Medical Examiner Dr Heather Jerrell explained: “Hantavirus infection is characterized by flu like symptoms consisting of fever, muscle aches, cough, sometimes vomiting and diarrhea that can progress to shortness of breath and cardiac or heart failure and lung failure.”

She added: “This occurs after a one to eight week exposure to excrement from, primarily, a particular mouse species that carries hantavirus.”

Learn more about the deadly disease here:

Gene Hackman’s wife was killed by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. What is it?

Pills found on scene unrelated to deaths, says medical examiner

Friday 7 March 2025 23:50 , Kevin Perry

There had previously been speculation about the scattered pills found near Betsy Arakawa’s body, but speaking today New Mexico’s Chief Medical Examiner Dr Heather Jerrell said they were unrelated to her death.

“Pills present on scene were thyroid medication which were being taken as prescribed and are not currently a concern for a contributory cause of death,” said Dr Jerrell.

Timeline of Betsy Arakawa’s final days

Friday 7 March 2025 23:11

Two days after collecting Zinna from the vet, Betsy Arakawa was seen in public for the final time on February 11.

Between 3:30 p.m. and 4:15 p.m., she was captured on surveillance footage shopping for groceries at Sprouts Farmers Market. She was later seen in a CVS Pharmacy in Santa Fe from around 4:12 to 4:20 p.m., before stopping at a local pet food store at about 4:54 p.m.

She used a remote control clicker in her car to enter the gated community where the Hackmans’ lived at 5:15 p.m.

After her death numerous emails were found unopened on her computer from February 11, and there was no additional outgoing communication from her or known activity after that date.

Read more here:

Everything we know about Gene Hackman and wife’s shocking death from natural causes

Unclear whether Hackman was going to seek help

Friday 7 March 2025 23:03 , Kevin Perry

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said it was hard to tell, judging by where and how Hackman was found, if he had been going to seek help for his wife. “That’s hard to answer,” Mendoza said.

“Again, it’s hard to get into the frame of mind of what was happening at the time. And I don’t know if we’ll ever have the answer to that question, whether he was going to go for help.”

Read more here:

Gene Hackman and his wife died one week apart from natural causes, authorities say

Gene Hackman’s wife was killed by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. What is it?

Friday 7 March 2025 22:19 , Kevin Perry

The rare and potentially deadly disease needs to be treated early before severe symptoms develop.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Gene Hackman’s wife was killed by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. What is it?

Update on the Hackmans’ deceased dog

Friday 7 March 2025 22:14 , Kevin Perry

Zinna (short for Zinfandel), the kelpie mix who was found dead in a crate not far from Betsy Arakawa, has been taken for necropsy at the Veterinary Diagnostic Services.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza said: “We’ll be awaiting those results.”

He also revealed that Arakawa had collected Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital on February 9.

“There was a procedure that was done with the with the dog, which may explain why their dog was in a crate at the residence,” said Mendoza.

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife died one week apart, medical examiner says

Friday 7 March 2025 21:52 , Kevin Perry

Alzheimer’s and a rare disease: Everything we know about Gene Hackman and wife’s deaths

Friday 7 March 2025 21:47

Today’s press conference has answered a lot of the questions that surrounded the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa.

Here’s everything we now know:

What we know about Gene Hackman and wife’s ‘suspicious’ deaths

Gene Hackman had advanced Alzheimer’s and possibly didn’t know his wife died a week earlier, medical examiner says

Friday 7 March 2025 21:41 , Kevin Perry

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa died of unconnected natural causes, medical examiner reveals

Friday 7 March 2025 21:27 , Kevin Perry

Hackman was in an ‘advanced state of Alzheimer’s’

Friday 7 March 2025 21:26 , Kevin Perry

In reference to the length of time between the deaths of Arakawa and Hackman, New Mexico’s Chief Medical Examiner Dr Heather Jerrell explained that: “He was in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s and it is quite possible he was not aware she was deceased.”

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife died one week apart from natural causes, medical examiner says

Friday 7 March 2025 21:20 , Kevin Perry

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife may have died around one week apart, both from natural causes, Santa Fe authorities have revealed.

It is believed Betsy Arakawa likely died first.

Read more here:

Gene Hackman and his wife died one week apart from natural causes, authorities say

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s causes of death revealed

Friday 7 March 2025 21:15 , Kevin Perry

At the press conference, Dr Heather Jerrell, New Mexico’s Chief Medical Examiner, announced that Betsy Arakawa died from Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a severe respiratory illness caused by viruses that are transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents.

Gene Hackman died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Press conference underway

Friday 7 March 2025 21:06 , Kevin Perry

A press conference is underway at Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, where Sheriff Adan Mendoza has promised new information.

Morgan Freeman paid tribute to Hackman at last weekend’s Oscars

Friday 7 March 2025 20:30 , Kevin Perry

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s bodies tested negative for carbon monoxide, police confirm

Friday 7 March 2025 20:06 , Kevin Perry

Footage from last week’s press conference in Santa Fe:

Gene Hackman and wife’s bodies showed signs of ‘mummification’

Friday 7 March 2025 19:30 , Kevin Perry

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa are believed to have been dead for at least several days before their bodies were discovered, authorities have said.

The bodies of the couple were found in their Santa Fe home Wednesday night. Arakawa’s body “showed obvious signs of death, body decomposition” and “mummifications in both hands and feet,” according to a search warrant.

Hackman’s body was found in “similar and consistent” condition.

Natural mummification occurs when the body dries out, turning tissue into a shrunken, hard mass. This typically happens in either dry and hot or very cold environments.

Read more:

What we know about Gene Hackman and wife’s ‘suspicious’ deaths

If Gene Hackman was a young actor in 2025, Hollywood would reject him

Friday 7 March 2025 19:00 , Kevin Perry

Hackman, who was found dead last week at the age of 95, was one of Hollywood’s greatest actors – and one of its least conventional leading men.

It’s hard to imagine anyone like him reaching these levels of success now, writes Louis Chilton.

If Gene Hackman was a young actor in 2025, Hollywood would reject him

Hackman became a reclusive figure in later life, rarely making public appearances

Friday 7 March 2025 18:30 , Kevin Perry

Hackman announced that he had retired from acting in 2008 while promoting his third novel Escape from Andersonville. His final film was the 2004 comedy Welcome to Mooseport where he starred alongside Ray Romano.

In 2022 he made a rare public appearance to attend a show in Santa Fe’s Lensic Center for Performing Arts titled Broadway Confidential which delighted fans in the process.

Read The Independent’s report on Hackman’s rare outing below.

Rare new photo of retired actor Gene Hackman, 92, delights movie fans

Hackman and Arakawa’s marriage

Friday 7 March 2025 18:00 , Kevin Perry

The couple married in 1991 and moved to New Mexico 12 months later. They began dating in the 1980s after meeting each other in California. Arakawa was a classically trained pianist but the two met at a gym where Arakawa was working.

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.

Arakawa was Hackman’s second wife following his divorce from Faye Maltese, who he was married to from 1956 to 1986.

Betsy Arakawa death: The classical pianist who was married to Gene Hackman since 1991

Gene Hackman’s dog was misindentifed

Friday 7 March 2025 17:30 , Kevin Perry

Law enforcement authorities initially misidentified the dead dog found near Betsy Arakawa’s body as a German shepherd.

In fact, that dog was a kelpie mix named Zinna.

A German shepherd named Bear and a second dog named Nikita survived, with one found running loose on the property.

Here’s an update on everything we know so far ahead of this afternoon’s press conference:

What we know about Gene Hackman and wife’s ‘suspicious’ deaths

Updates expected today

Friday 7 March 2025 17:16 , Tom Murray

Authorities will on Friday reveal more details about their investigation into the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza has scheduled a press conference alongside state fire, forensics and health officials to provide an update on the investigation.

Read more:

Update in investigation into deaths of Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa

Video: Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s bodies tested negative for carbon monoxide, police confirm

Saturday 1 March 2025 18:03 , Tom Murray

Hackman and Arakawa’s two surviving dogs

Saturday 1 March 2025 16:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

The Santa Fe County Animal Control Division is reportedly working with Hackman’s family to “ensure the safety of the two dogs,” according to a press release.

Although one of the couple’s dogs was found dead at the scene, another dog was found alive next to Arakawa’s body while another was found running loose on the property.

Police will hold a press conference at 3 pm on Friday to provide an update on the investigation.

Bill Murray says Gene Hackman was ‘really rough on’ Wes Anderson in The Royal Tenenbaums

Saturday 1 March 2025 14:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Bill Murray has remembered Hackman as being a great but “difficult” actor who was “really rough” on The Royal Tenenbaums director Wes Anderson.

Hackman led Anderson’s 2001 comedy-drama as the Tenenbaum family patriarch. Murray, meanwhile, played neurologist Raleigh St. Clair.

“He was a tough nut, Gene Hackman. But he was really good,” Murray, 74, recalled of the legendary actor in an interview with the Associated Press.

“And he was really difficult, we can say it now, but he was a tough guy. Older, great actors do not give young directors much of a chance. They’re really rough on them, and Gene was really rough on Wes,” the Groundhog Day star said.

Read more:

Bill Murray says Gene Hackman was ‘rough on’ Wes Anderson in The Royal Tenenbaums

Sheriff shares details about investigation into Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths

Saturday 1 March 2025 13:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Sheriff says Hackman’s pacemaker stopped on February 17.

At a press conference in Santa Fe, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza announced that an investigation by Dr Heather Jarrell, New Mexico’s Chief Medical Investigator, had revealed that Hackman’s pacemaker had stopped 10 days before his body was found.

“ An initial interrogation was conducted of Mr Hackman’s pacemaker. This revealed that his last event was recorded on February 17, 2025, I was advised that a more thorough investigation will be completed,” said Mendoza.

Asked if that meant Hackman had died that day, he responded: “According to the pathologist I think that is a very good assumption, that that was his last day of life.”

What we know about Gene Hackman and wife’s ‘suspicious’ deaths

Hackman’s daughter says ‘despite his age, he was in very good physical condition’

Saturday 1 March 2025 12:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Gene Hackman’s daughter Leslie Anne has told The Daily Mail that “there was no indication that there was any problem” with her 95 year-old father’s health prior to his death.

“Despite his age, he was in very good physical condition,” she said, adding that he hadn’t had any major surgeries in the months leading up to his death.

“He liked to do Pilates and yoga, and he was continuing to do that several times a week. So he was in good health.”

She acknowledged that given his age, Hackman’s death was “not terribly shocking” and that Arakawa’s death at 63 raises more questions.

She went on to say that the couple had “a wonderful marriage,” saying: “I give credit to his wife, Betsy, for keeping him alive.”

“[Betsy] took very, very good care of him and was always looking out for his health. So I am appreciative to her for that, and I’m very saddened by her passing.”

If Gene Hackman was a young actor in 2025, Hollywood would reject him

Saturday 1 March 2025 12:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Hackman, who was found dead this week at the age of 95, was one of Hollywood’s greatest actors – and one of its least conventional leading men.

It’s hard to imagine anyone like him reaching these levels of success now, writes Louis Chilton.

If Gene Hackman was a young actor in 2025, Hollywood would reject him

Deaths remain an ‘open investigation’ following autopsy

Saturday 1 March 2025 11:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Police said in a statement: “In the early hours of Thursday, February 27, 2025, Hackman and Arakawa were transported to the Office of the Medical Investigator.

“An autopsy was performed. Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual. Carbon monoxide and toxicology tests were requested for both individuals.

“The manner and cause of death has not been determined. The official results of the autopsy and toxicology reports are pending. This remains an open investigation.”

According to reports, the full results of the autopsy could take four to six weeks to be determined.

Hackman’s family break silence

Saturday 1 March 2025 10:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Hackman’s daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and his granddaughter, Annie, have shared a statement with the New York Post.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” they said.

“He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa,” the statement continued. “We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”

Read more:

Gene Hackman’s family releases statement regarding actor’s ‘devastating’ death

‘Send somebody up here real quick’: 911 call released

Saturday 1 March 2025 10:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

TMZ has obtained the 911 call that first alerted police to the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa.

In the call, an unidentified man who describes himself as the “caretaker for the subdivision” can be heard telling an operator to dispatch police to the couple’s residence.

When the operator asks for details about the “patients”, the caretaker replies that he doesn’t know.

“Send somebody up here real quick,” he says through tears. “I’m not inside the house, it’s closed. I can’t go in, but I see them. She’s laying down… over from the window.”

When the operator asks if they appear to be awake, he replies: “No, no, no, no.”

Asked if they’re moving, he contines: “No, dude, they’re not moving. Just send somebody out here. Really quick.”

The operator assures him that units are on the way, and the caretaker says he will meet them at the property’s “gatehouse.”

Gene Hackman reflected on fear of dying in 2004

Saturday 1 March 2025 09:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Gene Hackman spoke of his fear of dying in an interview with CNN’s Larry King back in 2004.

The interview has today (27 February) resurfaced following the death of the 95-year-old actor, alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, and their pet dog.

No foul play is suspected, according to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza.

Mendoza told The Santa Fe New Mexican that the couple died around midnight on Thursday. The sheriff did not speculate on their cause of death, which has not been determined.

In the 2004 CNN interview, Hackman said: “I have the normal fear of passing away.”

He added: “I want to make sure that my wife and my family are taken care of.”

What we know about the death of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa

Saturday 1 March 2025 09:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

Sad and grisly detals about the couple’s death have surfaced in the last 24 hours.

A pair of maintenance workers found the bodies on Wednesday then alerted police, telling officers they hadn’t seen the homeowners in about two weeks. Itr’s believed Hackman may have been dead for a week before his body was found..

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza initially said that foul play was not suspected, although a search warrant affidavit has since ruled their deaths “suspicious” enough to require further investigation.

What we know about Gene Hackman and wife’s ‘suspicious’ deaths

Gene Hackman refused to re-watch one of his most famous films

Saturday 1 March 2025 08:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Gene Hackman starred in multiple classic films – but there was one the actor refused to watch back.

Perhaps Hackman’s most memorable role was his performance as grizzled detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in William Friedkin’s 1971 crime drama The French Connection – and despite it being one of his most famous roles, it was one the actor never cared to revisit.

The actor watched the film just once, shortly after it was completed – but that was enough for the actor, who won an Oscar for the role.

Gene Hackman refused to re-watch one of his most famous films

Hackman and Arakawa’s marriage

Saturday 1 March 2025 08:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

The couple married in 1991 and moved to New Mexico 12 months later. They began dating in the 1980s after meeting each other in California. Arakawa was a classically trained pianist but the two met at a gym where Arakawa was working.

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.

Arakawa was Hackman’s second wife following his divorce from Faye Maltese, who he was married to from 1956 to 1986.

Betsy Arakawa death: The classical pianist who was married to Gene Hackman since 1991

Hackman became a reclusive figure in later life, rarely making public appearances

Saturday 1 March 2025 07:36 , Jacob Stolworthy

Hackman announced that he had retired from acting in 2008 while promoting his third novel Escape from Andersonville. His final film was the 2004 comedy Welcome to Mooseport where he starred alongside Ray Romano.

In 2022 he made a rare public appearance to attend a show in Santa Fe’s Lensic Center for Performing Arts titled Broadway Confidential which delighted fans in the process.

Read The Independent’s report on Hackman’s rare outing below.

Rare new photo of retired actor Gene Hackman, 92, delights movie fans

Gene Hackman was likely lying dead since February 17, pacemaker recordings reveal

Saturday 1 March 2025 07:00 , Kevin Perry

Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, may have died weeks before their bodies were found in their Santa Fe home, authorities said Friday.

Read more:

Gene Hackman was likely lying dead since February 17, pacemaker reveals

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s bodies tested negative for carbon monoxide, police confirm

Saturday 1 March 2025 06:00 , Kevin Perry

James Woods shares fond memories of an ‘actor without equal’

Saturday 1 March 2025 05:00 , Kevin Perry

Writing on X, James Wood shared a sweet anecdote from his early career:

“One of my first movies was a nice supporting role in a movie called Night Moves. I was excited, of course, because I was going to get to work with every young actor’s hero, Gene Hackman.

“And, since they were in town visiting, I was going to be able to invite my mom and stepfather to the set and hopefully they could meet Gene. It went far beyond a polite hello, as Gene spent an hour chatting with them, genuinely interested in their lives. That day was a model for me going forward.

“I have always prided myself on the way I treat fans, visitors, and friends. And I thank Gene for it. As an actor he was without equal, and as a man, he was one of a kind. Rest in peace, sir.”

David Axelrod shares his favorite Hackman role

Saturday 1 March 2025 04:00 , Kevin Perry

Former Obama advisor David Axelrod took to social media to share his love of Hackman’s performance in the 1986 Indiana sports film Hoosiers, writing on X: “Gene Hackman played many weightier, masterfully done roles in his long and accomplished career. But as sports-themed films go, Hoosiers was made great by his star turn as the wise, weathered coach of a Cinderella, small town high school basketball team. Thanks for the memories!”

James Gunn says Hackman ‘almost never hit a false note’

Saturday 1 March 2025 03:00 , Kevin Perry

DC Studios head James Gunn, currently preparing his own version of Superman, paid tribute to Hackman who famously played the superhero’s nemesis Lex Luthor.

Gunn wrote on X: “Gene Hackman was truly one of the greatest screen actors of all time. He almost never hit a false note. Always mesmerizing. Rest in Peace, Gene.”

Gunn added a list of his favorite Hackman movies, citing The Conversation, Unforgiven,Night Moves, Bonnie & Clyde, The French Connection, Superman and Mississippi Burning

John Carpenter calls Hackman ‘one of the greatest actors in modern cinema’

Saturday 1 March 2025 02:00 , Kevin Perry

John Carpenter, the director behind horror classics The Thing, Halloween, and They Live, wrote on X:

“Gene Hackman, one of the greatest actors in modern cinema, has passed away. The circumstances of his passing are not known yet, but we have lost a giant in the industry.”

Cary Elwes says Hackman’s ‘talent will forever be immeasurable’

Saturday 1 March 2025 01:05 , Kevin Perry

The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes has paid tribute to Hackman, writing on X: “The legendary Gene Hackman has passed away. A man whose breath of talent will forever be immeasurable. A true force of nature like no other. Our deepest condolences to his family, friends and fans all over the world. Rest in absolute power, Gene.”

Ben Stiller recalls Hackman telling him classic film was a ‘money job’

Saturday 1 March 2025 00:47 , Kevin Perry

Ben Stiller, who played one of Hackman’s sons in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums, has written an essay for the New York Times about his memories of the late acting great.

During the production, Stiller recalls gushing to Hackman about how much his performance in 1972’s The Poseidon Adventure meant to him, and how it had inspired him to want to make movies.

Hackman replied simply: “Money job.”

“I sat alone for a moment, trying to figure how to take that,” remembers Stiller.

“He had not felt the need to explain it or even acknowledge how good or bad he thought the movie was, or its impact on me. He just got up, as if it was no big deal; a conversation that might or might not continue.

“I sat there wrestling with this knowledge, that what had been one of the most formative performances in my young life, a performance that had moved me so much, had been some sort of a blip to him, a job to pay the bills.”

Guy Fieri remembers Hackman’s appearance on ‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives’

Saturday 1 March 2025 00:04 , Kevin Perry

Celebrity chef Guy Fieri recalled visiting a Santa Fe roadhouse with Hackman on his food show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

On X, Fieri wrote: “RIP Gene Hackman, one of the greats!! We had an amazing time on DDD back in the day!!”

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s bodies tested negative for carbon monoxide, police confirm

Friday 28 February 2025 22:24 , Kevin Perry

Gene Hackman and wife’s bodies showed signs of ‘mummification’

Friday 28 February 2025 21:00 , Inga Parkel

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa are believed to have been dead for at least several days before their bodies were discovered, authorities have said.

The bodies of the couple were found in their Santa Fe home Wednesday night. Arakawa’s body “showed obvious signs of death, body decomposition” and “mummifications in both hands and feet,” according to a search warrant.

Hackman’s body was found in “similar and consistent” condition.

Natural mummification occurs when the body dries out, turning tissue into a shrunken, hard mass. This typically happens in either dry and hot or very cold environments.

Read more:

Scattered pills and ‘mummified’ bodies: What we know about Gene Hackman and wife’s ‘suspicious’ deaths

Hollywood star died at the same time as wife of 34 years and one of their pet dogs

Gene Hackman frantic 911 call from maintenance man who found bodies

Friday 28 February 2025 20:45 , Inga Parkel

Santa Fe mayor remembers couple as ‘gracious’ and ‘friendly’

Friday 28 February 2025 20:30 , Inga Parkel

The mayor of Santa Fe, where Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa lived, has paid tribute to the couple.

Alan Webber said the pair were “just down to earth people, part of the community”, and remembered the French Connection actor as “gracious” and “friendly”.

He said of the “suspicious” circumstances surrounding their death: “We are all just going to be shaking our heads and wondering how this happened.”

Michelle Pfeiffer calls Hackman’s death a ‘tremendous loss’

Friday 28 February 2025 18:00 , Greg Evans

Pfeiffer, who along with Hackman was up for starring in the Hannibal Lecter film The Silence Of The Lambs before turning the part down, wrote on Instagram: “What a tremendous talent and tremendous loss for cinephiles everywhere.

“A true legend in cinema. Sending love and light to Gene and Betsy’s family.”

Fire Chief says much remains ‘unanswered’

Friday 28 February 2025 16:45 , Kevin Perry

On NBC’s Today show, Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya agreed with the Sheriff that it had likely been “several days” since the couple died and that they are still working to rule out whether a gas leak may have been a factor.

“That was a home with natural gas in it, so it could have [been involved in their deaths],” said Moya.

“There’s a lot of unanswered [questions] there. When we arrived, we made sure our people as well as the sheriff were safe, and there was nothing that we found. We also went back again yesterday to do another round of searches… and we didn’t find anything as well.”

Sheriff says couple were likely dead for ‘several days, even up to a couple of weeks’

Friday 28 February 2025 16:20 , Kevin Perry

During an appearance on NBC’s Today show this morning, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza shared an update on the investigation into Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths.

“It’s very difficult to put a timeline together even with the help of the office of the medical investigator,” he said. “Just based on their body and other evidence on the body, it looked — it appears [that they were dead for] several days, even up to a couple of weeks.”

Mendoza added that authorities are trying to piece together a timeline although it’s difficult because the couple were “very private individuals and a private family.”

He added that it is currently unclear whether the couple died at the same time, saying: “There’s no indication that anybody was moving about the house or doing anything different, so it’s very hard to determine if they both passed at the same time or how close they passed together. We’re trying to put that information together … and I think the autopsy report is going to be key to this investigation.”

Sheriff shares timeline of Gene Hackman and his wife’s deaths

Who was Betsy Arakawa?

Friday 28 February 2025 16:15 , Greg Evans

Hackman and Arakawa had been married since 1991 and reportedly began dating in the mid-Eighties after The French Connection star separated from his first wife, Faye Maltese in 1986.

The actor met Arakawa, who was reportedly born in Hawaii in the early Sixties, at a gym in California, where she was working part time while pursuing a career in classical music, per The New York Times.

By 1990, Hackman and Arakawa were living together in Santa Fe. In the same year, the Oscar winner underwent angioplasty after suffering congestive heart failure, which convinced him to retire from acting.

Arakawa had a successful career in her own right and was trained as a classical pianist. Alongside her musical talents, Hackman’s wife also helped design their Santa Fe home, which was featured in Architectural Digest in April 1990.

Betsy Arakawa death: The classical pianist who was married to Gene Hackman since 1990

Barbra Streisand calls Hackman ‘an incredible actor’

Friday 28 February 2025 15:45 , Greg Evans

Barbra Streisand, who was in the romantic comedy All Night Long with Hackman, wrote on Instagram: “Gene Hackman was an incredible actor. He lived a long life and left an amazing legacy. May he rest in peace.”

Bill Murray says Gene Hackman was ‘really rough on’ Wes Anderson in The Royal Tenenbaums

Friday 28 February 2025 15:44 , Tom Murray

Bill Murray has remembered Hackman as being a great but “difficult” actor who was “really rough” on The Royal Tenenbaums director Wes Anderson.

Hackman led Anderson’s 2001 comedy-drama as the Tenenbaum family patriarch. Murray, meanwhile, played neurologist Raleigh St. Clair.

“He was a tough nut, Gene Hackman. But he was really good,” Murray, 74, recalled of the legendary actor in an interview with the Associated Press.

“And he was really difficult, we can say it now, but he was a tough guy. Older, great actors do not give young directors much of a chance. They’re really rough on them, and Gene was really rough on Wes,” the Groundhog Day star said.

Read more:

Bill Murray says Gene Hackman was ‘rough on’ Wes Anderson in The Royal Tenenbaums

Morgan Freeman calls ‘friend’ Gene Hackman ‘incredibly gifted’

Friday 28 February 2025 15:15 , Greg Evans

Freeman, who starred in several movies with Hackman, called the star his ‘friend’ in an emotional post on social media.

The Shawshank Redemption actor wrote: “One of the personal highlights of my career was bringing the French Film Gardé a Vue (Under Suspicion) to life with the incredibly gifted Gene Hackman. And of course… Unforgiven. Rest in peace, my friend.”

Birdcage star Nathan Lane calls Hackman his ‘favourite actor’

Friday 28 February 2025 14:15 , Greg Evans

Lane, who co-starred with Hackman in the 1996 hit comedy The Birdcage, has praised the actors’ talent.

“Gene Hackman was my favourite actor, as I think I told him every day we worked together on The Birdcage,” Lane said in a statement. “Getting to watch him up close, it was easy to see why he was one of our greatest. You could never catch him acting. Simple and true, thoughtful and soulful, with just a hint of danger. He was as brilliant in comedy as he was in drama and thankfully his film legacy will live on forever. It was a tremendous privilege to get to share the screen with him and remains one of my fondest memories. Rest in peace, Mr. Hackman.”

Gene Hackman and ‘Hoosiers’ long have been point of pride for tiny Milan, Indiana

Friday 28 February 2025 13:45 , Greg Evans

The dazzling films of Gene Hackman stand out for sports fan for one reason: His unforgettable role as Norman Dale, coach of the feel-good, state champion Hickory Huskers in Hoosiers.

News of his death hit hard in basketball-mad Indiana.

The movie – ranked as the No. 1 sports film of all-time by The Associated Press in 2020 – was released in 1986. Hackman starred as Dale, a man who was given a second chance at coaching after his first one ended after striking one of his players years earlier.

The tale follows the journey of the Hickory Huskers, a team that in the movie version took on big-city South Bend Central in the 1952 state championship game and won with Jimmy Chitwood hitting a buzzer-beater. The story is loosely based on the real-life story of small-school Milan winning Indiana’s 1954 state championship. Bobby Plump was the hero in the actual game.

Gene Hackman and ‘Hoosiers’ long have been point of pride for tiny Milan, Indiana

Mel Brooks reveals how Hackman was cast in Young Frankenstein

Friday 28 February 2025 13:15 , Greg Evans

Mel Brooks, who cast Gene Hackman in a rare comedy role in his 1974 film, Young Frankenstein, has revealed how he came to be in the movie.

On X/Twitter, Brooks wrote: “I was privileged to know Gene Hackman because he played tennis with another Gene – Gene Wilder. And that Gene told him about a little role called The Blind Hermit in our movie YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. He said, ‘Do you think Mel would let me play it? I’ve always wanted to do a comedy’. Needless to say, I was over the moon and he was perfect.”

Mystery remains about Hackman and Arakawa’s final movements

Friday 28 February 2025 13:05 , Greg Evans

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, reporter Noel Phillips said: “Detectives are now trying to build a timeline of the couple’s final movements, when were they last seen in public. CCTV in this area will also be checked as well as their phone records to understand who they may have last spoken to before they died. Now what doesn’t help is the fact that they lived such a private life so as you can imagine, a lot of people here in this community are still grappling with the news.”

Santa Fe Mayor honours Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa

Friday 28 February 2025 12:45 , Jacob Stolworthy

The mayor of Santa Fe, where Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa lived, has paid tribute to the couple.

Alan Webber said the pair were “just down to earth people, part of the community”, and remembered the French Connection actor as “gracious” and “friendly”.

He said of the “suspicious” circumstances surrounding their death: “We are all just going to be shaking our heads and wondering how this happened.”

Flowers laid at the house from The Royal Tenenbaums

Friday 28 February 2025 12:15 , Greg Evans

Flowers have been spotted at the New York mansion used in the 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums.

Hackman played the father figure in the West Anderson film about a family of child prodigies. It also starred Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Anjelica Huston, Danny Glover and Bill Murray.

Kevin Costner gets choked up when talking about Hackman

Friday 28 February 2025 11:45 , Greg Evans

Costner, who starred with Hackman in the 1987 thriller No Way Out, called the actor “the best he had ever worked with” during his career.

Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, the Yellowstone star became emotional when reminiscing about an interaction with Hackman while on set.

Hoosiers star says Hackman made everyone feel ‘comfortable’ on set

Friday 28 February 2025 11:21 , Greg Evans

Brad Long, who starred alongside Hackman in one of his most beloved films, Hoosiers, has praised the icon’s professionalism on the set.

The basketball film saw Hackman play Coach Norman Dale in the 1986 movie, which was nominated for two Oscars.

Long, who was appearing in his debut role, told TMZ that Hackman was down-to-earth and “made us feel comfortable”.

“He came in and said, ‘Hey, I want to go to some high school practices. I wanna watch the body language, I wanna watch the verbiage the coaches use,”’ Long said

“I was always really impressed at that. Even at that level of his acting ability, he said, ‘Hey, I can learn some things here.”’

“Gene always gave us really good advice,” Long added.

“He said, ‘The art of acting is not acting with a little bit more energy.’ And, I think that was really helpful going through it. It was intimidating at first, but they didn’t make us feel intimidated. They always made us feel welcome and Gene was always there to give us advice if we wanted it.”

Jeanne Tripplehorn calls Hackman ‘The Greatest’

Friday 28 February 2025 11:15 , Greg Evans

Tripplehorn, who starred opposite Hackman as Tom Cruise’s wife in the 1993 thriller The Firm, paid a heartfelt tribute to the star on Instagram.

She wrote: “Gene Hackman. The greatest. An actor unparalleled with a heart of gold. He will always have a place in my heart for being not only the best actor one could ever hope to work with but a gentleman who was a source of quiet strength and kindness when I needed it the most. I cherish our time together. Blessed beyond words. We will never see the likes of him again.”

Gene Hackman: The brawling genius of film

Friday 28 February 2025 11:00 , Greg Evans

Despite being voted ‘Least Likely to Succeed’ by his acting school classmates, Hackman became one of the greatest actors of our age, writes Martin Chilton

Gene Hackman: The brawling genius of film

BBC Breakfast’s Charlie Stayt issues apology after technical error in Gene Hackman report

Friday 28 February 2025 10:45 , Greg Evans

BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt has issued an apology after a technical error disrupted a report about Gene Hackman during the show on Friday (28 February).

The investigation was discussed in a pre-recorded segment on BBC Breakfast, with a photograph of Hackman concluding the report.

However, the picture of the Oscar winner remained on screen even as Stayt moved to the next story on the programme – a controversial BBC documentary about Gaza, narrated by the son of a Hamas leader.

“The BBC has apologised for serious flaws in the production of a documentary about the war in Gaza,” Stayt began to say, before realising the error.

“Apologies, let’s just get, err, that bit straightened out,” he stalled as the image was taken off screen.

BBC Breakfast’s Charlie Stayt issues apology after error in Gene Hackman report

Hackman’s wife had put him on a strict diet

Friday 28 February 2025 10:32 , Greg Evans

Doug Lanham, a close friend and former business partner, of Hackman’s has revealed that Arakawa had put the actor on a strict diet and was very serious about his health.

Lanham told TMZ that Hackman was only able to “sneak a cheat meal“ when they were out golfing

Lanham, who was in the restaurant industry, said that Hackman would order either the “halibut or rice-paper salmon rather than a big steak” whenever he came to one of his establishments.

Hackman’s daughters seen for first time since father’s death

Friday 28 February 2025 10:16 , Greg Evans

Elizabeth and Leslie Hackman have been spotted for the first time in public since the announcement of their father’s death.

The siblings were seen walking into a Denny’s restaurant in Burbank, California but are expected to head to Santa Fe shortly, once police release more information.

Leslie said in a statement: “We need to wait and find out whatever information from the police. We weren’t expecting to have to go out there and go through the house and all that.

“So we have some work cut out for us. But yeah, we’ll be going out to New Mexico.”

Tom Hanks pays tribute

Friday 28 February 2025 10:15 , Greg Evans

On Instagram, the Oscar winner wrote: “There has never been a ‘Gene Hackman Type.’ There has only been Gene Hackman.”

Police offer insight as to why a heater was next to Arakawa’s body

Friday 28 February 2025 10:06 , Greg Evans

When investigating the property, police reported that they found a black space heater next to Awakara’s body, which was discovered in the bathroom.

In a statement, an officer “advised he suspected the heater could have fallen in the event the female abruptly fell to the ground”.

The report also stated that he “observed an orange prescription bottle on the countertop near the deceased female. The prescription bottle appeared opened with pills scattered on the countertop”.

Frantic 911 call released from maintenance man who found bodies

Friday 28 February 2025 09:45 , Greg Evans

Audio has been released from the maintenance man who called 911 after finding Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies

Dustin Hoffman calls Hackman: ‘A giant among actors’

Friday 28 February 2025 08:45 , Greg Evans

Dustin Hoffman has paid tribute to the “brilliant” Gene Hackman, who he first met at acting school when he was still a teenager.

The two befriended each other at the Pasadena Playhouse in the 1950s. They later starred together in the 2003 film, Runaway Jury.

“I met Gene in acting school, at the Pasadena Playhouse, when he was 27 and I was 19. We used to play congas together on the roof, trying to be like our hero Marlon Brando,” Hoffman said in a statement.

“And Gene was like Brando, in that he brought something unprecedented to our craft, something people didn’t immediately understand as genius,” added Hoffman. “He was expelled from our school after three months for ‘not having talent.’ It was the first time they ever did that. He was that good. Powerful, subtle, brilliant. A giant among actors. I miss him already.”

Tom Hanks shares succinct Hackman tribute

Friday 28 February 2025 05:00 , Kevin Perry

On Instagram, Tom Hanks shared a short and sweet tribute to Hackman, writing: “There has never been a ‘Gene Hackman Type.’ There has only been Gene Hackman.”

Bill Murray says Hackman was ‘really difficult’

Friday 28 February 2025 04:00 , Kevin Perry

Speaking to the Associated Press, Bill Murray said his Royal Tenenbaums could be “rough” on young directors like Wes Anderson.

Murray said: “He was a tough nut, Gene Hackman, but he was really good and he was really difficult. Like, we can say it now, but he was a tough guy because older great actors do not give young directors much of a chance. They’re really rough on ’em.”

Murray added: “He was a great one. He was a great actor.”

Mel Brooks reveals how Hackman came to be cast in ‘Young Frankenstein’

Friday 28 February 2025 01:05 , Kevin Perry

Mel Brooks has recalled how Hackman came to be cast in his 1974 comedy classic Young Frankenstein, writing on X: “I was privileged to know Gene Hackman because he played tennis with another Gene—Gene Wilder. And that Gene told him about a little role called The Blind Hermit in our movie YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.

“He said, ‘Do you think Mel would let me play it? I’ve always wanted to do a comedy.’ Needless to say, I was over the moon and he was perfect.”