The Santafe County Sheriff’s Office told CNN that the Santafe County Sheriff’s Office told CNN that the Academy Award-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead at their home in New Mexico. He is 95 years old.
Denise Womack-Avila, a spokesman for the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, told CNN Thursday morning that their deaths have not been confirmed, but are believed to be not considered foul.
Womack-Avila said deputies responded to welfare check requests at home at around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday and found Hackman, Alakava and a dog had died. Police said an investigation is underway.
CNN has contacted Hackman’s representative.
Hackman’s performances in films such as “French Connection”, “Hoosiers”, “Unforgiven” and “Company” roles rose to the leader.
Hackman’s best characters are often contradictory authority figures or surprisingly clever white-collar villains, such as the iconic evil villain Lex Luthor from the 1970s and 1980s “Superman” movie series. Many people have a threatening hint – sometimes even.
Gene Hackman in French Connection. – Bateman Archives/Getty Images
He won the Oscar for portraying New York policeman Popeye Doyle on 1971’s “The French Connection,” a detective, but won his man at a high cost. His surveillance experts in the 1974 “Dialogue” were single-minded about the viewpoint of obsession and lost all.
He won his second Oscar for Clint Eastwood’s performance in the 1992 film Unforgiven.
Celebrities and fans have begun sharing tributes to late Hollywood legends on social media.
Oscar-winning director Francis Ford Coppola collaborated with Hackman for a “dialogue” and posted on the subject: “Losing a great artist always elicits mourning and celebration.”
“A great actor, inspiring and grand in his work and complexity. I mourn his losses and celebrate his existence and contributions,” Coppola wrote.
In social media posts, actor and writer George Takei called Hackman “one of the real giants of the screen.”
“Gene Hackman can play anyone and you might feel it for a lifetime. He might be everyone, no one, towering presence or everyday Joe,” Takei wrote. “He will be missed, but his work will always be there.”
Hackman’s death came a few days before Sunday’s Academy Awards.
Hackman broke into the age of 36 in 1967’s “Bonnie and Clyde”, a role he played after losing part of Mr. Robinson in “The Graduate”. Prior to that, he served in the Marine Corps, in California and New York (sometimes roommate), “graduate” star Dustin Hoffman, and worked in quirky jobs including truck drivers and doormen.
He retired at the age of 74 and has lived in Santa Fe in recent decades with former classical pianist Arakawa.
Hackman has three children, who shared them with his late ex-wife Faye Maltese, who died in 2017.
Additional information has been updated on this story.
Todd Leopold and CNN’s Alex Stambaugh contributed to the report.
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