Photos: The Last Time Gene Hackman and His Wife Were Seen in Public
Recently, Academy Award-winning actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, were found dead in their Santa Fe, new mexico home during a wellness check by local authorities. Teh investigation into the cause of their deaths is ongoing, but officials have ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning or gas leaks as potential causes, as the fire department confirmed the residence was safe to enter. Two of their dogs were found alive,but prescription pills were reportedly scattered in the bathroom where Arakawa was discovered.
the couple’s last public appearance together was on March 28, 2024, at a restaurant in Albuquerque, marking their first sighting in public in over two decades. gene Hackman, known for his roles in films like “The French Connection,” “unforgiven,” and “Hoosiers,” had retired from acting after his last film in 2004 and had taken to writng novels. The circumstances surrounding their deaths have drawn considerable attention, with authorities labeling them as “suspicious,” prompting ongoing investigations into the details.
Photos of the last time Academy Award-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were seen in public surfaced Thursday following news of their deaths.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, law enforcement officials found the couple, along with their dog, dead in their home during a wellness check on Wednesday afternoon. The cause of their death is still under investigation, but facts released by Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza would seemingly rule out carbon monoxide poisoning or a gas leak, which some had speculated at first.
Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 64, were in separate rooms, and two of their other dogs were alive. Further, the fire department and the gas company had confirmed it was safe to enter, seemingly ruling out carbon monoxide or a gas leak, at least by the time the wellness check was conducted.
Fox News reported that prescription pills were scattered on the bathroom floor where Arakawa was located.
After actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found deceased in their Santa Fe residence, authorities are now calling their deaths “suspicious.”
Originally the family believed the likely cause of death was a gas leak or carbon monoxide poisoning.
However, a Santa Fe… pic.twitter.com/HCOwfODS1o
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 27, 2025
The last time the two had been seen in public together was March 28, 2024, at the Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Albuquerque, New Mexico, according to TMZ.
Gene Hackman, 95, his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, and their German Shepherd all have been found dead in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Remembering Gene’s two Oscars pic.twitter.com/bCT1Y6McO8
— Matt Haviland 🇺🇸 (@MattHaviland) February 27, 2025
The New York Post obtained images of the couple’s restaurant outing, noting, “Hackman wore khaki cargo pants, trail shoes and a zip-up vest atop a check shirt. He completed his casual look with a beige cap and a pair of sunglasses. Arakawa, for her part, wore a patterned shirt with a pair of blue jeans and brown suede boots.”
Reclusive Gene Hackman, 94, and wife Betsy Arakawa, 62, spotted in first public outing together in decades https://t.co/BQeQX2eo2c pic.twitter.com/c3lhKD5glB
— New York Post (@nypost) March 29, 2024
The outlet pointed out it was the first time the couple had been seen in public together in 21 years. The last time was at the Golden Globes in 2003 when Hackman received the Cecil B. DeMille Award, a special award given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.”
Just awful. Oscar winning actor Gene Hackman (95), wife Betsy Arakawa (63), a classical pianist & their dog were found dead at thier Santa Fe home. At the moment there are no signs of foul play. Hackman won the Academy Award for best actor as Jimmy “ Popeye “ Doyle in “The French… pic.twitter.com/gwSog6nt0o
— vernkpix (@vernKPIX) February 27, 2025
A tearful Hackman told his audience of fellow entertainers, “I never wanted to be anything but an actor. George Scott had a line in [the movie] ‘Patton’ that I think is appropriate. ‘God help me, I love it.’” Scott playing World War II Gen. George Patton was referring to being a leader in combat.
He recalled how he would take the street car into his Illinois hometown to go watch double features and be transported to places like the ocean depths or Africa or the Santa Fe Trail, watching actors such as John Wayne, Ray Milland, Errol Flynn, or James Cagney, his favorite.
Hackman’s last role was in the 2004 film “Welcome to Mooseport,” a comedy in which he played opposite Ray Romano.
“Hackman confirmed his retirement in an interview years later during a press round to promote his third novel, ‘Escape From Andersonville,’ in 2008,” the Post reported.
“I haven’t held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I’m not going to act any longer,” Hackman said.
He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1972 for “The French Connection” and Best Supporting Actor in 1993 for “Unforgiven.”
Some of Hackman’s other memorable roles were in “Bonnie and Clyde” and “Young Frankenstein,” as well as comic book villain Lex Luthor in “Superman” and the title character in Wes Anderson’s 2001 “The Royal Tenenbaums.”
For many sports fans, Hackman’s turn as Coach Norman Dale in the 1986 film “Hoosiers” is a favorite.
RIP Gene Hackman🙏
(1930-2025)Coach Norman Dale
Hickory High
1951 Indiana High School State Champs🏆#Gene#Hoosiers🏀 pic.twitter.com/2ZH4tMWzSP— Mr. Cleveland Sports (@MrCleveland_216) February 27, 2025
The Associated Press reported, “When not on film locations, Hackman enjoyed painting, stunt flying, stock car racing and deep sea diving. In his latter years, he wrote novels and lived on his ranch in Santa Fe, on a hilltop looking out on the Colorado Rockies, a view he preferred to his films that popped up on television.”
“I’ll watch maybe five minutes of it,” he once told Time magazine, “and I’ll get this icky feeling, and I turn the channel.”
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