Clint Eastwood, Francis Ford Coppola, Josh Brolin, and More Remember Gene Hackman: His Passing Is ‘a Very Sad Day’ for Cinema
Gene Hackman’s life and legacy are being remembered by fellow Hollywood icons.
The two-time Oscar winner Hackman was found dead at age 95. His 63-year-old wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were deceased as well inside their Santa Fe, New Mexico home. While reports claimed there was “no immediate indication of foul play,” a cause of death was not provided at print.
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Hackman’s breakout role was in 1967’s “Bonnie and Clyde.” He later went on to star in 1971’s “The French Connection” and Clint Eastwood’s 1992 feature “Unforgiven,” winning Academy Awards for both performances. Hackman led Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 film “The Conversation,” with other iconic turns in “Hoosiers,” “Mississippi Burning,” “The Firm,” “The Birdcage,” “Postcards from the Edge,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” and more. Read his full obituary here.
Francis Ford Coppola, who directed Hackman in “The Conversation,” remembered the late actor on Instagram.
“The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity,” Coppola wrote. “I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution.”
Fellow filmmaker Paul Feig also tweeted in Hackman’s honor, crediting his performance in Coppola’s “The Conversation” as directly affecting his career.
“So awful,” Feig wrote of Hackman’s passing. “Gene was such an inspiration to so many of us who love movies. So many brilliant roles. His performance in ‘The Conversation’ alone changed the way I looked at acting and what actors could bring to a role. Such an amazing career. RIP Mr. Hackman.”
Clint Eastwood told IndieWire, “There was no finer actor than Gene. Intense and instinctive. Never a false note. He was also a dear friend whom I will miss very much.”
Josh Brolin similarly wrote, “I am crushed by the sudden deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa (and their dog). Crushed. He was always one of my favorites. Not many who beat to their own drums like he did. Rest in Peace.”
Morgan Freeman tweeted, “One of the personal highlights of my career was bringing the French Film Gardé a Vue (‘Under Suspicion’) to life with the incredibly gifted Gene Hackman. And of course… Unforgiven. Rest in peace, my friend.”
“The Birdcage” actor Nathan Lane wrote, “Gene was my favorite actor, as I think I told him every day we worked together. Getting to watch him up close, it was easy to see why he was one of our greatest. You could never catch him acting. Simple and true, thoughtful and soulful, with just a hint of danger. He was as brilliant in comedy as he was in drama and thankfully his film legacy will live on forever. It was a tremendous privilege to get to share the screen with him and remains one of my fondest memories. Rest in peace, Mr. Hackman.”
Viola Davis added, “Loved you in everything! ‘The Conversation,’ ‘The French Connection,’ ‘The Poseidon Adventure,’ ‘Unforgiven’ — tough yet vulnerable. You were one of the greats. God bless those who loved you. Rest well, sir.”
Antonio Banderas tweeted, “A very sad day for the cinema’s family. Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have passed away. My deepest condolences to friends, family and cinema lovers. RIP.”
George Takei wrote, “We have lost one of the true giants of the screen. Gene Hackman could play anyone, and you could feel a whole life behind it. He could be everyone and no one, a towering presence or an everyday Joe. That’s how powerful an actor he was. He will be missed, but his work will live on forever.”
Edgar Wright commented on a repost, “The greatest…”
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https://twitter.com/morgan_freeman/status/1895150696808251738
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