Artists, collaborators and fans in Hollywood and beyond are paying tribute to the prolific, Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, who was found dead alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, at their home on Wednesday afternoon. Hackman was 95. Arakawa, a classical pianist, was 63.
Authorities are investigating the deaths Hackman, Arakawa and their dog, but do not suspect foul play. Their bodies were discovered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, during a welfare check.
“The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration,” wrote director Francis Ford Coppola on Instagram, alongside a photo of himself with Hackman on a film set. “Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution.”
Hackman starred in Coppola’s 1974 neo-noir mystery “The Conversation,” which earned three Academy Award nominations.
Actor Viola Davis also shared a tribute on Instagram, describing Hackman as “tough yet vulnerable.”
“Loved you in everything!” Davis wrote in a caption. “You were one of the greats. God bless those who loved you. Rest well, sir.”
Hackman was a frequent and versatile presence on screen, starring in dozens of films from the 1960s until his retirement. Among his best known films were “The French Connection” and “Unforgiven,” a breakout performance in “Bonnie and Clyde,” a classic bit of farce in “Young Frankenstein,” a turn as the comic book villain Lex Luthor in “Superman” and the title character in Wes Anderson’s 2001 “The Royal Tenenbaums.”
“The thing about Gene Hackman is he really could do it all,” critic Robert Daniels wrote on X. “The second you see him in Robert Rossen’s ‘Lilith,’ his first credited film part, you knew he was going to be great. And he just remained great.”
“I am crushed by the sudden deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa (and their dog),” Oscar-nominated actor Josh Brolin shared on Instagram. “He was always one of my favorites. Not many who beat to their own drums like he did.”
“We have lost one of the true giants of the screen,” Star Trek actor George Takei wrote on X. “Gene Hackman could play anyone, and you could feel a whole life behind it. He could be everyone and no one, a towering presence or an everyday Joe. That’s how powerful an actor he was. He will be missed, but his work will live on forever.”
Hackman received five Oscar nominations for his acting. He won Best Actor in 1972 for “The French Connection” and Best Supporting Actor in 1993 for “Unforgiven.”
Filmmakers Edgar Wright and Paul Frieg also posted tributes on X.
Here’s what others are sharing on social media:
