The entertainment world was rocked yesterday when Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe home. They were 95 and 62.
I couldn’t believe the news when it broke. Hackman was one of those actors who seemed somehow immortal – the kind whose films you grew up watching no matter your age.
According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, the bodies were discovered during a welfare check after friends couldn’t reach the couple for days. No foul play is suspected, though the investigation is ongoing.
“We believe this to be natural causes or possibly a domestic accident,” said Sheriff’s spokesman Juan Ríos. Some local sources mentioned they haven’t ruled out carbon monoxide, but nothing’s confirmed yet.
From Hollywood to the High Desert
Hackman wasn’t your typical Hollywood star. After retiring in 2004 (his last film was that forgettable comedy “Welcome to Mooseport”), he completely walked away from the industry. No cameos, no comebacks, no award show appearances.
He and Betsy, a former pianist and real estate agent, had lived quietly in Santa Fe since the 80s. Neighbors say they’d occasionally spot him at the local hardware store or farmers’ market, just another local in a baseball cap and sunglasses.
My cousin who lives in Santa Fe said Hackman had this reputation for being sort of grumpy if you mentioned his movies, but super friendly if you talked about literally anything else.
The Actor Who Could Do Everything
What can you even say about Hackman’s career? The man won two Oscars (“The French Connection” and “Unforgiven”), played Superman’s greatest enemy, made us cry in “Hoosiers,” and scared the hell out of us in “Mississippi Burning.”
He wasn’t classically handsome or trained at some fancy acting school. He was just… real. Whether playing heroes or villains, you believed every word that came out of his mouth.
I’ll never forget watching “The Royal Tenenbaums” in college and realizing this was the same guy who played Popeye Doyle. The range was insane.
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 62, were discovered deceased in their Santa Fe residence. Authorities report no signs of foul play; investigations continue.
The saddest part of this story is thinking about them being found together. They’d been married over 30 years, which in Hollywood terms is practically forever.
Friends said they’d become increasingly private in recent years, though Hackman was occasionally spotted around town looking “like any other 90-something guy with a cane and a good hat,” as one local put it.
No word yet on funeral arrangements, but given how they lived, I’d bet it’ll be private. Hackman is survived by three children from his first marriage.
Man, they really don’t make actors like Gene Hackman anymore. While stars today worry about their social media presence, this guy was writing novels about historical naval battles in his retirement. A true original till the end.
