Earlier this week, the tragic news emerged that Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found deceased in their residence in Santa Fe. The actor’s passing has left his admirers in shock, prompting an outpouring of tributes from around the globe.
As people reflect on Hackman’s life, there is a keen interest in his later years, during which he largely withdrew from public life, although he did make occasional appearances.
For those seeking information about his most recent public engagement, please continue reading.
Remarkably, just a year prior to his death, Gene Hackman was seen in public for the first time in over twenty years.
At the time of his passing, the acclaimed actor from The French Connection was 95 years old, while his wife, Betsy Arakawa, was 63. Additionally, their dog passed away in their New Mexico home on February 26, 2025.
In an official statement following the actor’s death, Santa Fe County confirmed, “We can verify that both Gene Hackman and his wife were discovered deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail.”
“We do not currently suspect foul play, but this remains an ongoing investigation,” they added. Nearly 21 years after his last public appearance, Hackman and his wife were seen together in public last year.
The couple, who had been married since 1991, was photographed leaving Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hackman was seen holding onto his wife’s arm while using a cane in his other hand. A selection of these photos can be viewed on X.
Hackman met Arakawa while she was working part-time at a fitness center in Los Angeles, and they began dating in 1984.
In 1986, Hackman divorced his first wife, Faye Maltese, whom he had married in 1956. They had three children together: Leslie Anne, Elizabeth Jean, and Christopher Allen. Due to health concerns, the actor, renowned for his roles in films such as Behind Enemy Lines and Mississippi Burning, largely ceased acting in 2004.A stress test conducted in New York ultimately served as the tipping point for the actor, as he disclosed in a 2009 interview.
He recounted, “The physician informed me that my heart was not in a condition suitable for enduring any stress.”
From 1961 to 2004, Hackman appeared in 79 feature films, establishing a career that many aspiring actors would find admirable. Throughout his career, he garnered two Academy Awards, two BAFTAs, four Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild award.
Renowned director Francis Ford Coppola, who worked with Hackman on the 1974 film The Conversation, remarked, “The loss of a great artist is always a reason for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman was an exceptional actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I pay tribute to his life and contributions while mourning his departure.”
