Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, known for his versatile performances spanning reluctant heroes to cunning villains, was found dead at 95 alongside his wife at their home.
Hackman’s career included acclaimed roles in The French Connection and Unforgiven, a breakthrough performance in Bonnie and Clyde, and memorable appearances in Young Frankenstein, Reds, and No Way Out. Equally adept in drama and comedy, he played everything from a rigid father in The Birdcage to a redemptive coach in Hoosiers and a surveillance expert in The Conversation.
Despite his unassuming appearance and reluctance to embrace Hollywood’s spotlight, Hackman was revered as an actor’s actor, often compared to Spencer Tracy for his ability to embody the everyman. He kept a distance from the industry’s social scene and retired from acting in his 70s, focusing instead on writing novels and enjoying life on his New Mexico ranch.
Born in 1931 in San Bernardino, California, Hackman endured a difficult childhood, shaped by his father’s abandonment and his mother’s struggles with alcoholism. At 16, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines, later finding solace in acting. His dedication led him to an Oscar-winning turn as Popeye Doyle in The French Connection, a role he initially doubted he could play, and later as the corrupt sheriff in Unforgiven, a part he nearly rejected before Clint Eastwood persuaded him otherwise.
Hackman was married twice—first to Fay Maltese, with whom he had three children, and later to Betsy Arakawa. In his final years, he lived a quiet life, preferring the view of the Rockies from his ranch to rewatching his own films.
