Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy ArakawaOscar-winning US actor Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog have been found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In a wide-ranging career spanning more than six decades, Hackman won two Academy Awards for his work on The French Connection and Unforgiven.
A statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff in New Mexico said: "We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail.
"This is an active investigation; however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor."
Hackman was 95, and his wife, a classical pianist, was 63.
He won the best actor Oscar for his role as Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in William Friedkin's 1971 thriller The French Connection, and another for best supporting actor for playing Little Bill Daggett in Clint Eastwood's Western film Unforgiven in 1992.
His other Oscar-nominated roles included 1967's Bonnie and Clyde - as Buck Barrow in his breakthrough role, opposite Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway—and 1970's I Never Sang for My Father.
Both films saw him recognised in the supporting actor category. He was also nominated for best leading actor in 1988 for playing the agent in Mississippi Burning.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff's office said: "On 26 February, 2025, at approximately 1:45pm, Santa Fe County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park where Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and a dog were found deceased."
Much-celebrated actor Hackman played more than 100 roles in total, including supervillain Lex Luthor in the Christopher Reeve-starring Superman movies in the 1970s and 1980s.
Hackman acted opposite many Hollywood heavyweights including Al Pacino in 1973's Scarecrow, Gene Wilder in 1974's Young Frankenstein and Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton in 1981's Reds.
He also starred in the hit movies Runaway Jury, Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums, and Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation.
Coppola led the tributes to the late star on Thursday, calling him "a great artist". In a statement posted on Instagram, the director wrote: "Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution."
Valerie Perrine, who featured alongside Hackman in Superman (1978) as his character's on-screen girlfriend Eve Teschmacher, described the late actor as "a genius" and one of the "greatest to grace the silver screen".
She posted on X: "His performances are legendary. His
talent will be missed. Goodbye my sweet Lex Till we meet again."
