Francis Ford Coppola, Clint Eastwood, Nathan Lane and more paid tribute to Gene Hackman after the Oscar-winning actor was found dead at 95 alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday.
“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,” wrote Coppola, who directed him in 1974’s “The Conversation,” on Instagram. “I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution.”Hackman starred in “The Conversation,” Coppola’s 1974 neo-noir mystery thriller, as Harry Caul, a surveillance expert who faces a moral dilemma when his recordings reveal a potential murder. The movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palme d’Or, and received three Oscar nominations for best picture, original screenplay and sound.Eastwood, who directed and starred alongside Hackman in 1992’s “Unforgiven,” said in a statement to Variety: “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.”
Saul Rubinek, Hackman’s co-star in “Unforgiven,” wrote: “I was lucky enough to spend a few days acting with Gene in “Unforgiven.” I remember this: the huge ‘Duck of Death’ jail scene with him and me and Richard Harris was an interior weather cover scene, I mean, scheduled at the last minute because of rain. And Gene’s Sheriff Little Bill had the lion’s share of the lines. And Clint liked to shoot the rehearsals. Man, when you were acting with Gene in a situation like that..and on the other side of me is the dangerous presence of the outrageous Richard Harris..? I had to BE THERE. I had to SHOW UP. Cause Gene set the bar SO high, without me noticing he was doing that at all. He made it … easy. The scene you see in the movie was that filmed rehearsal- first time we did it. I’ll never forget the gift of breathing that shared air. We lost a great artist but we can visit him forever.”Nathan Lane, who co-starred with Hackman in “The Birdcage,” one of the biggest hits of his later career, praised his versatility and talent.
“Gene Hackman was my favorite actor, as I think I told him every day we worked together on ‘The Birdcage,’” Lane said in a statement. “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.”n Bluesky, Mel Brooks highlighted Hackman’s work on “Young Frankenstein.” “I was privileged to know Gene Hackman because he played tennis with another Gene — Gene Wilder. And that Gene told him about a little role called The Blind Hermit in our movie… He said, ‘Do you think Mel would let me play it? I’ve always wanted to do a comedy.’ Needless to say, I was over the moon and he was perfect.”
Viola Davis also remembered Hackman on Instagram, writing: “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.”Josh Brolin said he was “crushed” by Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths. “He was always one of my favorites,” Brolin wrote of Hackman. “Not many who beat to their own drums like he did.”Antonio Banderas echoed Brolin, calling it “a very sad day for the cinema’s family.”Meanwhile on X, Edgar Wright simply remembered Hackman as “the greatest,” while George Takai 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.”
Hackman and Arakawa were found dead Wednesday afternoon at their home in Santa Fe, N.M. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed their deaths to Variety, noting that there was no immediate indication of foul play. No immediate cause of death could be given. Hackman was 95 and Arakawa was 63.
Hackman was considered one of the greatest screen performers of the second half of the 20th century, winning Oscars for his role as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in William Friedkin’s 1971 action thriller “The French Connection” and as an antagonistic sheriff in Eastwood’s 1992 Western “Unforgiven.” He was also Oscar-nominated for his performances in “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967), “I Never Sang for My Father” (1970) and “Mississippi Burning” (1988). He was also known for playing Lex Luthor in 1978’s “Superman” and the 1980 sequel “Superman II.” He retired from acting in 2004.
