Santa Fe County Sheriff’s responded to a request to do a welfare check on Wednesday and found actor Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa and a dog dead. No foul play is currently suspected.
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, a classical pianist, have been found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Local reports say the couple died along with their dog.
Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office have stated that they do not believe foul play was a factor in the deaths – even if no cause of death has been released at the time of writing. An investigation is ongoing.
“All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant,” the sheriff told the Santa Fe New Mexican. The statement came before authorities had positively identified the pair, per the publication. “I want to assure the community and neighborhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone.”
Hackman was one of the industry’s most respected and honoured performers. He won an Oscar for a Best Actor in William Friedkin’s 1971 action movie The French Connection, in which he played Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle. He won a second Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in Clint Eastwood’s 1992 Western Unforgiven, for playing Little Bill Daggett.
The legendary Hollywood actor and former Marine was also known for playing Lex Luthor in the Superman films, as well as starring in classics like Bonnie and Clyde, The Conversation, Mississippi Burning, Crimson Tide, The Firm, Under Fire, The Birdcage and The Royal Tenenbaums.
His last big screen role was in 2004 in Welcome to Mooseport – and the same year, he announced that he was retiring from acting.
Hackman and Arakawa married in 1991 and lived outside in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Hackman is survived by his children, Christopher, Elizabeth and Leslie.
This is a developing story and our journalists are working on further updates.
