Everything We Know About Gene Hackman's Death
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VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
Dive into the mysterious circumstances surrounding Gene Hackman's unexpected passing in 2025. We explore the shocking details of his death, the conflicting accounts from family and friends, and the ongoing investigation into what happened to the legendary actor and his wife. Our investigation reveals puzzling details, including the discovery of Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog found deceased during a wellness check, with no clear explanation for their sudden deaths. What do you think of this evolving tragic story? Share in the comments.
Everything We Know About Gene Hackman’s Death
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re breaking down all of the known details surrounding two-time Academy Award winner Gene Hackman’s mysterious passing. Given the sensitive, tragic nature of the case, viewer discretion is advised.
Before we get into the facts of the iconic actor’s death, a quick recap for the uninitiated. Born Eugene Allen Hackman in January 1930, the future Lex Luthor was a latecomer to Hollywood. Toiling away in the industry for years without major signs of success, Hackman first garnered critical recognition while performing on Broadway in the 1960s, which was his gateway into film work. A major breakthrough was his first Oscar nomination for 1967’s “Bonnie and Clyde,” in which he appeared as Clyde’s older brother Buck Barrow. Finally, the early 1970s proved to be Hackman’s time to shine: a second Oscar nomination for “I Never Sang for My Father” followed by a win for director William Friedkin’s smash hit “The French Connection” turned the Hollywood veteran into a 41-year-old overnight success. From this point on, Hackman was nothing if not a bona fide, old-school leading man, working consistently in both leading and supporting parts. Best known for his “tough guy” roles, Hackman appeared in a wide variety of instant classics, like “Superman,” “Hoosiers,” “Mississippi Burning,” and “The Royal Tenenbaums.” Having won a second Oscar for Clint Eastwood’s 1992 Best Picture winner “Unforgiven,” Hackman decided to call “cut” on his career in 2004.
The actor’s final two films were the 2003 John Grisham adaptation “Runaway Jury,” and the goofy satire “Welcome to Mooseport,” in which Hackman played a former U.S. president alongside comedian Ray Romano. Following these last projects, Hackman retired to his home in New Mexico, where he lived with his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa[a]; the two had married in 1991. In a 2009 interview with British film magazine “Empire,” Hackman described the simple, health-related reasons that he had given acting the pink slip. Although he had never formally announced the end of his career, Hackman described it as the right choice for him, revealing that “[My] doctor advised me that my heart wasn’t in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress.” In his final years, Hackman focused on writing novels of historical fiction, and was a local fixture in Santa Fe, often seen riding his bike around the neighborhood. However, the actor’s quiet, peaceful retirement would come to a disturbing end in 2025.
February 26th, 2025 marked not only a sad day for the actor’s family and fans, but one that raised more questions than one would expect upon the passing of a 95-year-old man. Tragically, the bodies of Hackman, Arakawa, and one of the couple’s dogs were found lifeless at their Santa Fe home during a wellness check. According to the New York Times, “[an] open prescription bottle and scattered pills were discovered near [Arakawa’s] body on a counter in the bathroom.” The results of deeper investigation into the matter yielded more confusion: there was no sign of external trauma to either Hackman or Arakawa, and if there had been a deadly carbon monoxide leak, then it somehow went totally undetected. Based on the sheriff’s department’s initial investigation, it appeared as though both the actor and his wife had fallen suddenly — and evidence suggested that the two had died over a week before they were initially discovered. In a search warrant affidavit, Detective Roy Arndt came to the conclusion that “the circumstances surrounding the death of the two deceased individuals [were] suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.”
Time has helped to make sense of some of what happened to Hackman and Arakawa, but not all of it. According to friends of the couple, the fact that the Academy Award winner could no longer be seen riding his bike around was the first red flag. Couple Daniel and Barbara Lenihan, decades-long friends of the Hackman family, spoke to “People” magazine, claiming that Hackman’s health had been on the decline for some time. They shared that they believed Hackman to be “essentially [...] homebound,” and that “Betsy tried to keep him kind of active [via puzzles and Zoom yoga] [...] She was still trying to keep him as active and engaged and healthy as possible.” However, the most confounding part of the Lenihans’ interview? The shocking reveal that Arakawa was supposedly in perfect health, and “so fit.” This was in addition to staunch measures she took to protect herself and her husband from COVID-19, as well as closely monitoring his diet, according to Hackman’s friend Doug Lanham.
So, already something strange is afoot. Stranger still: that the Hackmans’ friends’ accounts are directly contradicted by statements made by the actor’s daughter Leslie Ann. Speaking to the British “Daily Mail,” Leslie Ann admitted to not having spoken to or seen her father in some months, but shared her assessment that “[despite] his age, he was in very good physical condition,” and that “there was no indication that there was any problem” in the months leading up to his passing. Authorities investigating Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths have confirmed that they don’t suspect foul play, but as we mentioned earlier, they are regarding the situation as “suspicious.” The New Mexico Gas Co., as reported upon by “USA Today,” shared that “there are no signs or evidence indicating there were any problems associated to the pipes in and around the residence.”
Toxicology reports on both Hackman and Arakawa will take some months to process and analyze. In the meantime, the one thing that isn’t up for debate is Hackman’s towering legacy. In a statement released by his family, the actor’s daughters and granddaughter wrote that “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.” Hackman’s close friend and collaborator, the Oscar-winning actor and director Clint Eastwood, shared that “There was no finer actor than Gene. Intense and instinctive. Never a false note. He was also a dear friend whom I will miss very much.” Director Francis Ford Coppola, who worked with Hackman on “The Conversation,” shared on Instagram that he “[mourned] his loss, and [celebrated] his existence and contribution.” Peter Bradshaw, film critic for “The Guardian,” summed up that contribution by musing that Hackman’s death “marks the end of one of the greatest periods of U.S. cinema: the American New Wave,” and that “[he] was the character actor who was really a star.”
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re breaking down all of the known details surrounding two-time Academy Award winner Gene Hackman’s mysterious passing. Given the sensitive, tragic nature of the case, viewer discretion is advised.
Before we get into the facts of the iconic actor’s death, a quick recap for the uninitiated. Born Eugene Allen Hackman in January 1930, the future Lex Luthor was a latecomer to Hollywood. Toiling away in the industry for years without major signs of success, Hackman first garnered critical recognition while performing on Broadway in the 1960s, which was his gateway into film work. A major breakthrough was his first Oscar nomination for 1967’s “Bonnie and Clyde,” in which he appeared as Clyde’s older brother Buck Barrow. Finally, the early 1970s proved to be Hackman’s time to shine: a second Oscar nomination for “I Never Sang for My Father” followed by a win for director William Friedkin’s smash hit “The French Connection” turned the Hollywood veteran into a 41-year-old overnight success. From this point on, Hackman was nothing if not a bona fide, old-school leading man, working consistently in both leading and supporting parts. Best known for his “tough guy” roles, Hackman appeared in a wide variety of instant classics, like “Superman,” “Hoosiers,” “Mississippi Burning,” and “The Royal Tenenbaums.” Having won a second Oscar for Clint Eastwood’s 1992 Best Picture winner “Unforgiven,” Hackman decided to call “cut” on his career in 2004.
The actor’s final two films were the 2003 John Grisham adaptation “Runaway Jury,” and the goofy satire “Welcome to Mooseport,” in which Hackman played a former U.S. president alongside comedian Ray Romano. Following these last projects, Hackman retired to his home in New Mexico, where he lived with his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa[a]; the two had married in 1991. In a 2009 interview with British film magazine “Empire,” Hackman described the simple, health-related reasons that he had given acting the pink slip. Although he had never formally announced the end of his career, Hackman described it as the right choice for him, revealing that “[My] doctor advised me that my heart wasn’t in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress.” In his final years, Hackman focused on writing novels of historical fiction, and was a local fixture in Santa Fe, often seen riding his bike around the neighborhood. However, the actor’s quiet, peaceful retirement would come to a disturbing end in 2025.
February 26th, 2025 marked not only a sad day for the actor’s family and fans, but one that raised more questions than one would expect upon the passing of a 95-year-old man. Tragically, the bodies of Hackman, Arakawa, and one of the couple’s dogs were found lifeless at their Santa Fe home during a wellness check. According to the New York Times, “[an] open prescription bottle and scattered pills were discovered near [Arakawa’s] body on a counter in the bathroom.” The results of deeper investigation into the matter yielded more confusion: there was no sign of external trauma to either Hackman or Arakawa, and if there had been a deadly carbon monoxide leak, then it somehow went totally undetected. Based on the sheriff’s department’s initial investigation, it appeared as though both the actor and his wife had fallen suddenly — and evidence suggested that the two had died over a week before they were initially discovered. In a search warrant affidavit, Detective Roy Arndt came to the conclusion that “the circumstances surrounding the death of the two deceased individuals [were] suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.”
Time has helped to make sense of some of what happened to Hackman and Arakawa, but not all of it. According to friends of the couple, the fact that the Academy Award winner could no longer be seen riding his bike around was the first red flag. Couple Daniel and Barbara Lenihan, decades-long friends of the Hackman family, spoke to “People” magazine, claiming that Hackman’s health had been on the decline for some time. They shared that they believed Hackman to be “essentially [...] homebound,” and that “Betsy tried to keep him kind of active [via puzzles and Zoom yoga] [...] She was still trying to keep him as active and engaged and healthy as possible.” However, the most confounding part of the Lenihans’ interview? The shocking reveal that Arakawa was supposedly in perfect health, and “so fit.” This was in addition to staunch measures she took to protect herself and her husband from COVID-19, as well as closely monitoring his diet, according to Hackman’s friend Doug Lanham.
So, already something strange is afoot. Stranger still: that the Hackmans’ friends’ accounts are directly contradicted by statements made by the actor’s daughter Leslie Ann. Speaking to the British “Daily Mail,” Leslie Ann admitted to not having spoken to or seen her father in some months, but shared her assessment that “[despite] his age, he was in very good physical condition,” and that “there was no indication that there was any problem” in the months leading up to his passing. Authorities investigating Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths have confirmed that they don’t suspect foul play, but as we mentioned earlier, they are regarding the situation as “suspicious.” The New Mexico Gas Co., as reported upon by “USA Today,” shared that “there are no signs or evidence indicating there were any problems associated to the pipes in and around the residence.”
Toxicology reports on both Hackman and Arakawa will take some months to process and analyze. In the meantime, the one thing that isn’t up for debate is Hackman’s towering legacy. In a statement released by his family, the actor’s daughters and granddaughter wrote that “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.” Hackman’s close friend and collaborator, the Oscar-winning actor and director Clint Eastwood, shared that “There was no finer actor than Gene. Intense and instinctive. Never a false note. He was also a dear friend whom I will miss very much.” Director Francis Ford Coppola, who worked with Hackman on “The Conversation,” shared on Instagram that he “[mourned] his loss, and [celebrated] his existence and contribution.” Peter Bradshaw, film critic for “The Guardian,” summed up that contribution by musing that Hackman’s death “marks the end of one of the greatest periods of U.S. cinema: the American New Wave,” and that “[he] was the character actor who was really a star.”
What was your favorite Gene Hackman performance? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
[a]https://youtu.be/sbMBLvwYE1c?si=SdTDap4l5-yYPhTP&t=8