Gene Hackman's friend says getting old 'bothered him'

Gene Hackman (left/right), Betsy Arakawa (middle). Credit: Getty Images

Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead at their Santa Fe, New Mexico home in February. The reason behind the legendary Hollywood actor’s passing was a mystery at first, but it’s since been determined that he died of natural causes.

Hackman lived a long life, and was happily married to his wife, Betsy Arakawa, for over 30 years. Now, a friend of the actor has revealed new details of his final years, claiming that his age was bothering him.

Actor Gene Hackman and his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, were found dead at their Santa Fe, New Mexico home in late February after an individual, who identified himself as a caretaker, called 911. The call was made just before 2 pm, according to law enforcement.

In a statement to People Magazine, Hackman’s daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and granddaughter, Annie, said they were “devastated by the loss.”

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy. He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss,” Elizabeth, Leslie, and Annie Hackman shared with People Magazine.

The sheriff’s office announced that carbon monoxide and toxicology tests were required for Hackman and Arakawa.

“There was no obvious sign or indication of foul play,” Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said at the time.

Gene Hackman dead at 95

He added that there had been no sign of a struggle or that any items were missing from the couple’s home. Mendoza also stated that Hackman and Arakawa had been deceased for quite a while.

CNN obtained the audio from the 911 call. As per the affidavit, maintenance workers had found the couple dead. The person who called sounded emotional while talking to the 911 dispatcher. They added that they couldn’t enter the home but saw two unconscious people through the window.

“No, dude, they’re not moving. Just send somebody out here really quick,” the caretaker told the dispatcher.

The circumstances surrounding Hackman and his wife’s deaths were somewhat mysterious at first. Several theories made their way to the newspapers, and the actor’s daughter, Leslie, told the Daily Mail that there was “no indication that there was any problem” with her father before his passing.

“Despite his age, he was in very good physical condition,” Leslie said, adding that her father hadn’t undergone any major surgeries in the last few months. “He liked to do Pilates and yoga, and he was continuing to do that several times a week. So he was in good health.”

Despite this, Leslie and her family admitted that his death wasn’t “terribly shocking” because of his age. She added that she hadn’t seen him in a “few months” as she lived in California. Even though they were close, they hadn’t spoken for quite a while.

“We were close. I hadn’t talked to them for a couple months, but everything was normal and everything was good,” Leslie told the DailyMail.

“He was in a very poor state of health”

On March 8, Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell confirmed that Gene Hackman died of natural causes about a week following the death of his wife Betsy from a rare virus. Hackman died from coronary artery disease, with authorities suggesting that his advanced Alzheimer’s could have been the reason why he wasn’t aware that his wife had died days earlier.

As per reports, Betsy Arakawa, an American classical pianist, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a serious but rare respiratory illness caused by exposure to infected rodents. After officials looked into Hackman’s pacemaker, it was determined he died on February 18.

“He was in a very poor state of health,” Dr. Heather Jarrell said, per CBS. “He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that is what resulted in his death.”

The theory is that Arakawa most likely died on February 11, a week before Gene. Hantavirus can cause flu-like symptoms for three to six days before fluids enter the lungs.

“At that point, a person can die very quickly, within 24-48 hours, roughly speaking, without medical treatment,” Jarrell said. “It’s not uncommon to find someone down on the floor as part of a terminal collapse, so to speak, and that may very well have been what happened.”

Regarding whether Hackman knew that his wife had passed, Dr. Jarrell stated: “That question’s difficult to answer, but I can tell you that he was in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s and it’s quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased.”

How did Gene Hackman become an actor?

Born in San Bernardino, California, on January 30, 1930, Hackman’s mother, Lyda, worked as a waiter while his father, Eugene, operated a printing press. They moved from town to town for employment, ultimately living in Danville, Illinois.

By age 16, Gene had enough of school. He lied about his age so he could join the Marines, though a serious motorbike accident forced him to leave the forces and find work elsewhere.

Hackman had worked with the radio while in the Marines, and when he married Faye Maltese in 1956, with her help, he decided to try acting. After moving to the West Coast, he enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts, and Gene turned out to be a natural.

His classmates, including Dustin Hoffman, were much younger than him, but that didn’t matter. Gene and Dustin became lifelong friends, but they were initially branded the “least likely to succeed” in the entertainment business. As of today, we know that wasn’t quite the case.

Hackman would become one of the greatest actors of all time. He and his first wife moved back to New York City, where he began his career on Broadway. He debuted in the 1961 movie Mad Dog Coll, but it took a decade before he got his big breakthrough starring role. In 1968, he was nominated for his first Academy Award for Bonnie & Clyde and a second one in 1971 for I Never Sang for My Father.

Gene Hackman’s friend says the actor was “bothered” about aging

In 1972, Hackman earned an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in The French Connection. He became a massive Hollywood star in his 40s, and stardom led to even more significant roles and awards. He received his second Academy Award in 1993, starring in Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven.

Through his work in other films, such as Hoosiers and The Royal Tenenbaums, Hackman cemented his place as a movie legend in the hearts of millions worldwide. His last credit was the 2004 film Welcome to Mooseport, in which he acted alongside Ray Romano.

Hackman had three children with Faye Maltese: Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne. They divorced in 1986, and 1991 he married classical pianist Betsy Arakawa. They remained married until their death. Speaking with the Daily Mail, Hackman’s daughter Leslie stated they had a “wonderful marriage.”

Gene Hackman spent his last years living peacefully outside the spotlight. His friend, Stuart Ashman, now reveals new details about Hackman’s final years. Speaking to Fox, Stuart claimed Gene focused a lot on staying healthy and was “bothered” about aging. The prominent actor stayed active, playing golf and doing yoga.

“He was very fit, you know, and he was 6-foot-2 plus an ex-Marine,” Stuart Ashman said. “He did pilates like three times a week. And then on the days that he didn’t do pilates, he would load his bicycle up to his SUV and drive to Albuquerque, which is 70 miles, and ride this trail down there, which is along the river and it’s paved and level. So he didn’t want to do mountain biking, but he did that. So he was in great shape.”

“He didn’t like being old”

Stephen Marshall, an FBI agent who had connected with Hackman and his wife through a community outreach program, also said that the actor “was concerned about the fact that he was getting older.”

“He didn’t like being old, and seeing himself on film bothered him because he knew he didn’t look like that anymore,” Marshall said, adding that the couple couldn’t attend the Hackman’s film Night Moves screening because of health issues.

“She said Gene broke into a cold sweat when she brought it up, but he just … didn’t want to be any part of it. And so I tried to respect that,” Marshall explained.

“When we went out, he didn’t want to advertise who he was. I remember the first time we went out, we’re walking down the street in Santa Fe, and I noticed people noticing him. And I said, ‘Do you get used to the idea of people going, Hey, that’s Gene Hackman?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, but now they add, ‘And he got so old.’ So I thought he looked much younger. I thought he looked great, but he was concerned that he had aged and that bothered him.”

Marshall concluded of Hackman and Arakawa: “And so I was seeing them less and less often. They were going out less.”

Hackman’s passion was golf, and according to his instructor, Mike Putnam, the French Connection star was “determined” to learn how to play.

“I think he always probably expected to do a little better than he was doing, you know?” Putnam told Fox. “But I was able to talk him through that and set the right expectations to help him enjoy it and not have such high expectations.

“And Betsy, when she started playing, it frustrated him a little more, because she was a little more athletic, actually, and she kind of took to the game quicker and maybe probably just didn’t get in her own way. You could just see Gene grinding in his head. But gosh, what a delight both of them were,” the golf instructor added.

Rest in Peace, Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa. Please share this article on Facebook to honor them.