Francis Ford Coppola, Clint Eastwood, Nathan Lane, Valerie Perrine, and more stars pay tribute to Gene Hackman
Francis Ford Coppola, Clint Eastwood, Nathan Lane, Viola Davis, Josh Brolin, and Superman actress Valerie Perrine are among the stars mourning Gene Hackman.
The 95-year-old legend and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 63, were found dead on Wednesday, alongside their dog, in their Santa Fe, N.M., home. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office initially said foul play is not suspected, and there's an "active and ongoing investigation" into their deaths. In a search warrant affidavit released Thursday, authorities said their deaths are "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation," and that there were "no obvious signs of a gas leak."
More from GoldDerby
Tributes poured in for the beloved actor after the news broke early Thursday. Hackman won two Oscars -- Best Actor for 1971's The French Connection and Best Supporting Actor for 1992's Unforgiven -- and had three other nominations for Bonnie & Clyde (1967), I Never Sang for My Father (1970), and Mississippi Burning (1988).
Coppola, who directed Hackman in the 1974 classic The Conversation, wrote 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. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution."
Eastwood, who directed and starred alongside Hackman in Unforgiven, said in a statement: "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."
Lane, who starred in 1996's The Birdcage with Hackman, said in a statement: "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."
Davis posted on Instagram: "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. ??????"
Brolin posted a photo of Hackman and Arakawa on Instagram, writing: "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."
Perrine, who played Eve Teschmacher, the girlfriend of Hackman's Lex Luthor, in Superman (1978), remembered the the actor as a "genius" on Instagram: "The great Gene Hackman has passed away.??He was a genius & 1 of the greatest to grace the silver screen. I had the honor of working with Him on Superman. His performances are legendary. His talent will be missed. Goodbye my sweet Lex. Till we meet again."
John Cusack, who worked with Hackman in the latter's penultimate film Runaway Jury (2003), wrote on X: "RIP Gene Hackman - an all time great. One of the most influential screen actors ever. There was nothing he couldn’t do. His work was searingly truthful and often brutally honest - he never let you off the hook . Not afraid of ambiguity - a lost quality these days . Lucky and grateful to share screen with him . RIP Gene"
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
George Takei wrote on X: "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."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Antonio Banderas called it "a very sad day for the cinema's family" on Instagram: "Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have passed away. My deepest condolences to friends, family and cinema lovers. RIP"
Edgar Wright simply called Hackman "the greatest" on X.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Paul Feig said on X: "So awful. 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."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
William Shatner wrote on X: "Condolences to the Family of Gene Hackman. ??"
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Michael Chiklis wrote on X that it "hurts when your heroes pass": "Hackman is gone. Hurts when your heroes pass. Thank you Gene. You were one of a kind."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Cary Elwes said "we have lost a true legend" in an Instagram post: "The magnificent Gene Hackman has passed away. A man whose breath of talent was immeasurable. Growing up on his movies was an absolute thrill for me. To observe his remarkable facility and humanity in every role was something to behold. Whatever film he was in, he made it better. A force of nature like no other and as such there will never be another like him. Our deepest condolences to his family, friends and fans all over the world. Rest in absolute power, Gene."
Adam Scott simply posted a photo of Hackman on Instagram.
Best of GoldDerby
Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
