Oscar winner Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered dead in their New Mexico residence, according to local authorities.
Deputies from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office performed a welfare check at their home just outside of Santa Fe at about 1:45 PM (20:45 GMT) on Wednesday, where they found the bodies of Hackman, 95, Arakawa, 64, and their dog. Foul play is not currently suspected, the sheriff’s department has stated, though the manner of death has not been identified. An investigation is ongoing.
Hackman, a Hollywood legend, was nominated for five Oscars throughout his career and won two for his performances in The French Connection and Unforgiven, which were honored 21 years apart. His rise to fame began with a standout role as the brother of bank robber Clyde Barrow in the iconic 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde, for which he earned his first Oscar nomination. He also received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1971 for I Never Sang for My Father.
In a career of over 80 films, Hackman demonstrated his range in genres ranging from action and thrillers to comedy, most notably in Mel Brooks’ classic Young Frankenstein. He achieved major fame in 1978 when he played Lex Luthor in Superman, opposite Christopher Reeve.
After retiring in his 70s, Hackman cited that the roles he was being offered had become overly “grandfatherly,” with his last major performance in the 2004 comedy Welcome to Mooseport.
Hackman was previously married to Faye Maltese, with whom he had three children—Christopher, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne—before her passing in 2017. He later married Arakawa, a classical pianist, in 1991.
