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Gene Hackman Death: 911 Call & Autopsy Findings Released
More penetration into Gene Hackman's last days is being revealed.
After the acting legend, 95, his woman Betsy Arakawa, 65, and 1 of their 3 dogs were found dormant successful their New Mexico home, his longtime household friends Daniel Lenihan and Barbara Lenihan, arsenic good arsenic their lad Aaron Lenihan, spoke retired connected his declining wellness starring up to the tragedy.
For Barbara and Daniel—who reportedly knew Gene for implicit 30 years—it was evident that the French Connection prima was "really slipping" during the "last mates months" that helium was alive.
In fact, Daniel told People successful an interrogation published March 1 that Gene was "essentially benignant of homebound" during that time, portion his woman noted successful the associated speech that the histrion had "quit riding his motorcycle done the neighborhood."
And Aaron echoed his parents' sentiments, adding that Betsy had been trying to amended Gene's wellness by incorporating puzzles and yoga into their regular routine.
“Betsy tried to support him benignant of progressive and engaged,” helium explained to People. “She was inactive trying to support him arsenic progressive and engaged and steadfast arsenic possible."
Additionally, Aaron recalled that Arakawa was taking precautions to debar getting Hackman infected with COVID-19, remembering that "she'd ever deterioration a disguise erstwhile we'd spot her out."
While Gene's wellness whitethorn not person been successful the champion spot earlier his passing, the Lenihan household insisted that his narration with Betsy remained solid.
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“They were 1 of the tightest couples I've seen," Aaron said of the pair. “They seemed similar existent beingness partners, really, truly adjacent to each other, and they were some incredibly kind. And they were reserved, but they were real, [and] a batch of fun.”
Gene and Betsy were recovered dormant successful abstracted rooms of their Santa Fe, N.M., location connected Feb. 26. Based connected the past recorded "event" connected Gene's pacemaker, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adam Mendoza said that the histrion apt passed distant implicit a week prior, connected Feb. 17. However, authorities are inactive determining whether helium oregon Arakawa died first, arsenic good arsenic the causes of their passing.
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“We recognize that is simply a situation due to the fact that they were precise backstage individuals and a backstage family," the sheriff told Today successful a Feb. 28 interview. "We're trying to enactment each that accusation unneurotic close now.”
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Lenihan household person been conscionable a fewer of Gene's friends, costars and admirers who person paid tribute to his legacy.
“Gene ever said, ‘I don't deliberation astir legacy. I conscionable anticipation radical retrieve maine arsenic idiosyncratic who tried to bash bully work,’” Morgan Freeman said while honoring the Birdcage star during the 2025 Oscars ceremonial connected March 2. “So I deliberation I talk for america each erstwhile I say, Gene, you volition beryllium remembered for that and for truthful overmuch more. Rest successful peace, my friend.”
To spot much stars' reactions to Gene and Betsy's untimely passing, support reading.
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Prince William & Kate Middleton
"So bittersweet to perceive the quality of the decease of Gene Hackman and his woman Betsy," the mates wrote connected their associated X account. "Hackman was a existent genius of movie who brought each and each quality to beingness with power, authenticity and prima quality."
LUCY NICHOLSON / AFP
Gwyneth Paltrow
The Royal Tennanbaums histrion shared a photograph of herself, Luke Wilson and Gene connected the acceptable of the Wes Anderson movie alongside a breached bosom emoji successful a Feb. 27 Instagram post.
Luca Carlino/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Tom Hanks
The Cast Away prima besides kept his tribute abbreviated and sweet, penning successful a Feb. 27 Instagram post alongside an aged photograph of the star, “There has ne'er been a ‘Gene Hackman Type.’ There has lone been Gene Hackman.”
Tony Korody/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images
Elizabeth Hackman, Leslie Hackman & Annie Hackman
"It is with large sadness that we denote the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy," the actor's daughters—whom helium shares with ex Faye Maltese—and grandaughter wrote successful a connection shared with E! News. "He was loved and admired by millions astir the satellite for his superb acting career, but to america helium was ever conscionable Dad and Grandpa. We volition miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss."
ABC
Francis Ford Coppola
The Megalopolis director, who directed Gene successful The Conversation, shared a touching tribute soon aft quality of Gene’s decease broke.
“The nonaccomplishment of a large artist, ever origin for some mourning and celebration,” the manager wrote connected Instagram Feb. 27, alongside a photograph of the pair. “Gene Hackman a large actor, inspiring and magnificent successful his enactment and complexity, I mourn his loss, and observe his beingness and contribution.”
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Viola Davis
The How To Get Away With Murder histrion wrote a touching station directed astatine the histrion himself.
“Loved you successful everything!” Viola wrote successful a Feb. 27 Instagram post. “The Conversation, The French Connection, The Poseidon Adventure, Unforgiven—tough yet vulnerable. You were 1 of the greats. God bless those who loved you. Rest well, sir.”
Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix
Nathan Lane
“Getting to ticker him up adjacent it was casual to spot wherefore helium was 1 of our greatest,” The Birdcage star told USA Today successful a statement. "You could ne'er drawback him acting. Simple and true, thoughtful and soulful, with conscionable a hint of danger. He was arsenic superb successful drama arsenic helium was successful play and thankfully his movie bequest volition unrecorded connected forever.”
He added, “It was a tremendous privilege to get to stock the surface with him and remains 1 of my fondest memories. Rest successful peace, Mr. Hackman.”
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Hank Azaria
Comedian Hank Azaria, who besides starred successful The Birdcage alongside Gene, wrote a touching tribute.
“It was an grant and an acquisition moving with Gene Hackman,” helium wrote on X, adding a fewer benignant words from the film’s director, “Mike Nichols said of his genius quality acting: ‘He ever brought conscionable capable of a antithetic portion of the existent cistron to each relation helium played.’ Sending each my emotion to his household & friends.”
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Pedro Pascal
The Last of Us prima proved Gene’s continued power connected Hollywood, sharing an aged photograph of the prima connected his Instagram Story, writing, “My existent favorite.”
Jon Kopaloff/WireImage
Michael Rosenbaum
The Smallville actor, who shared the portion of Lex Luthor with the Superman star, wrote to Instagram, “To my favourite Lex Luthor and 1 of the each clip top actors ever! RIP.”
Lawrence JC Baron
Antonio Banderas
The Mask of Zorro prima wrote successful a station connected X, “A precise bittersweet time for the cinema’s family. Gene Hackman and his woman Betsy Arakawa person passed away. My deepest condolences to friends, household and cinema lovers.”
Jesse Grant/Getty Images for WIRED
John Simm
“Sad quality today,” the Collateral star wrote successful a tribute connected Instagram. “You’d beryllium hard pressed to sanction a amended surface histrion than this man. Because determination isn’t one. Perfection successful each azygous relation helium played, a immense inspiration for maine and for generations of actors. And helium could bash it all. He made the trade look effortless. A existent artist.”
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
George Takei
The Star Trek alum commemorated his aged adjacent with a heartfelt enactment to X.
“Gene Hackman could play anyone, and you could consciousness a full beingness down it,” George wrote. “He could beryllium everyone and nary one, a towering beingness oregon an mundane Joe. That’s however almighty an histrion helium was. He volition beryllium missed, but his satellite volition unrecorded connected forever.”
Jim Spellman/WireImage
Edgar Wright
Edgar Wright—who directed Baby Driver and Last Night successful Soho—shared a tribute to the precocious histrion connected X, writing, “The greatest…”
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Cary Elwes
“We person mislaid a existent legend,” the Princess Bride prima wrote successful a Feb. 27 Instagram post. “The magnificent Gene Hackman has passed away. A antheral whose breadth of endowment was immeasurable. Growing up connected his movies was an implicit thrill for me."
He continued to stress the interaction of Gene's craft.
"To observe his singular installation and humanity successful each relation was thing to behold," helium added. "Whatever movie helium was in, helium made it better. A unit of quality similar nary different and arsenic specified determination volition ne'er beryllium different similar him. Our deepest condolences to his family, friends and fans each implicit the world. Rest successful implicit power, Gene.”
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