Gene Hackman’s mysterious spiral into recluse life with wife and last frail outing
Once one of Hollywood’s leading men, Gene Hackman’s final years were a far cry from the red carpet premieres of his youth.
The Oscar winner, who has died at the age of 95, preferred a quiet life with his second wife, the classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, following his retirement from the silver screen in 2004. Tragically, the couple were found dead yesterday (Wednesday, February 26), along with their beloved pet dog, at their home on Sunset Trail, New Mexico.
An active investigation is now underway, but Santa Fe County police has confirmed that they do not believe that foul play was a factor at this time. Gene and Betsy, 63, reportedly fell in love after crossing paths at an LA gym in the ’80s, where Betsy had been working part-time.
They went on to tie the knot in 1991, with Betsy becoming stepmother to Gene’s three children, Christopher Allen, Leslie Anne and Elizabeth Jean, born during his first marriage to Faye Maltese. Although California-born Gene preferred to keep the details of his marriage private, he did previously speak up for Betsy amid rumours that their relationship had led to his divorce.
Speaking with the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Gene clarified: “By the way, I did not leave my real-life wife for a younger woman. We just drifted apart. We lost sight of each other. When you work in this business, marriage takes a great deal of work and love.”
In 2020, Gene also offered a sweet insight into their low-key weekend rituals, telling Empire magazine: “We like simple stories that some of the little low-budget films manage to produce. Friday night is set aside for a Comedy Channel marathon with particular attention paid to Eddie Izzard. The speed of thought is amazing.”
The pair eschewed the spotlight, preferring to spend time with each other and their pets rather than attend glitzy A-list bashes. In this regard, Santa Fe proved to be the perfect place for the famous couple to set up home together. As Gene told the Irish Independent in 2000: “Where we live, in Sante Fe, you can lead your own life and not be bothered by the latest gossip.”
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